Looking back at the lanes that opened for him to get a starting chance in center field and what he did to claim the job, Cardinals rookie Michael Siani feels he was just at “the right place (at) the right time.â€
Since April 20, Siani has started in 70 games in center field. He’s posted a .253 batting average and stolen 14 bases for the season across 98 total games. In the field, Siani, 25, entered Wednesday tied for first in outs above average (plus-14), per Statcast, and ranked eighth in defensive runs saved (plus-eight), per FanGraphs.
He believes the combination of being mentally and physically ready has helped him contribute to a Cardinals club that went into the trade deadline as buyers.
“It was always being on the same page with (manager Oliver Marmol) and the staff and knowing where I was at, knowing what I was going to do and how I was going to be able to help the team,†Siani said Tuesday night before going 2 for 3 with two RBIs in a 10-1 Cardinals win Wednesday at Busch Stadium.
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Siani entered spring training as outfield depth on a ºüÀêÊÓƵ roster that projected to have Tommy Edman as its starting center fielder and Lars Nootbaar in left field. But with Edman sidelined for all of spring because of offseason surgery on his right wrist and Nootbaar out because of fractured ribs, a bench role opened for Siani to claim.
He was used mostly as a defensive replacement and as a pinch runner in his first 17 games before he stepped into a regular starting role in the final two weeks of April after fellow rookie Victor Scott II, the Cardinals’ opening day center fielder, was optioned to Triple-A Memphis and Dylan Carlson continued to rehab from a shoulder injury he sustained in the second-to-last game of spring training after he had claimed the starting center field job in Edman’s absence.
After Edman was dealt to the Dodgers and Carlson to the Rays before Tuesday’s trade deadline, Siani and his defensive prowess figure to remain a factor in center field.
“Well, I think all of you would agree, he’s an elite defender — one of the top center fielders in the game defensively,†Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said after Tuesday’s deadline passed. “Obviously, I think his offense continues to trend in the right direction, so I think he’s just growing and evolving, and it’s great to see.â€
The momentum Siani feels he’s built has shown over the past week in his encounters with left-handed pitchers, against whom he’s hit .216 on the season.
When the Cardinals trailed by a run and had runners on first and third base in the seventh inning on Sunday vs. the Nationals, Marmol kept Siani in to hit against lefty Robert Garcia. Siani singled to left field to bring home the tying run in what was a 4-3 walk-off win for the Cardinals after Paul Goldschmidt homered in the ninth.
On Tuesday, Siani led off the fifth inning of an 8-1 win over the Rangers with a bunt single off lefty Cody Bradford. He followed that by stealing second base during the next at-bat, then tagged up and scored two at-bats later when Alec Burleson flew out.
“Just really, you bunt, you steal, you move him over with Winn, and then you drive him in with Burly,†Marmol said on Wednesday. “I mean, that’s really good baseball, and it just shows one way that he (Siani) can start to utilize his skill set against lefties. But when you look at lefty-righty, I think sometimes we want to match up so much — and I’m speaking for myself — (for) the lineup against a starter, but what he does in center field ... it’s hard to replace.â€
During ºüÀêÊÓƵ’ series-clinching win on Sunday, Siani laid down a sacrifice bunt (his MLB-leading 10th of the year) against lefty Andrew Heaney to produce a run in the second inning. He led off the fifth inning vs. Heaney with a single and scored as a part of a five-run frame.
The single off Heaney extended Siani’s hitting streak to 10 games and improved him to a .338 average over his past 77 at-bats as the Cardinals’ nine-hole hitter, a role in which he feels he’s found a groove.
“It’s nice that nine-hole is almost another leadoff spot just getting that lineup over to the top,†Siani said. “I think (leadoff hitter) Masyn (Winn) and I have been really good just hitting back-to-back and knowing kind of our strengths and what we’ve got.â€
Lynn lands on IL; Pallante stays in rotation
The Cardinals placed starter Lance Lynn on the 15-day injured list because of inflammation in his right knee. Marmol said Lynn’s knee had been “barking†at him, adding that Lynn “really felt it†during his start on July 23 in Pittsburgh.
“Duct taped him together yesterday for that start, and he was able to give us five (innings). I don’t know how, but he gave us five,†Marmol said of the righty’s Tuesday start. “He’s going to need a little bit of time to let that thing get back to normal.â€
There is not a clear timeline for how long Lynn’s IL stay will be or if he will need a rehab start before he is activated.
While Lynn allows his knee to rest, right-hander Andre Pallante will remain in the Cardinals rotation for the time being, Marmol confirmed. Pallante, who started on Tuesday, has filled a rotation spot since May 29 and made 10 starts since. He’s gone 4-4 with a 3.61 ERA and has covered 52⅓ innings in that stretch.
Extra bases
Right-handed reliever and trade deadline acquisition Shawn Armstrong is expected to join the Cardinals on Thursday in Chicago for the start of a four-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
- Right-handed reliever Ryan Loutos, a graduate of Washington University in ºüÀêÊÓƵ, was recalled from Triple-A Memphis ahead of Wednesday’s game.
- Right-handed reliever Jacob Bosiokevic was designated for assignment ahead of the series finale against Texas to clear a 40-man roster for starter Michael McGreevy.