The Cardinals have shut left-hander Wade LeBlanc down for the remainder of the season, manager Mike Shildt announced to reporters Thursday (Twitter link via Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat). He’s expected to undergo some type of procedure to address the elbow pain that has sidelined him, though Shildt was not able to provide specifics. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that LeBlanc is still exploring options. Shildt noted that LeBlanc, a pending free agent, is expected to be ready for Spring Training.
Originally signed back in June with the rotation in shambles, LeBlanc was viewed as little more than a flier on a veteran stopgap at the time. However, he emerged as much more than that, not only providing steady innings but giving the Cardinals his best work since the 2018 season.
LeBlanc, 37, appeared in a dozen games for St. Louis — four relief outings and eight starts — and put together 42 1/3 innings of 3.61 ERA ball. A middling 12.2 percent strikeout rate and 8.5 percent walk rate didn’t inspire much confidence in his ability to sustain that pace, but the innings he provided are in the books and came at a desperately needed time for the Cards.
Shaky strikeout-to-walk profile notwithstanding, LeBlanc’s solid showing in St. Louis ought to earn him another opportunity in 2022, even with some uncertainty regarding his health. An exact timeline on his recovery won’t be known until LeBlanc and the doctors he’s consulting pin down the extent of the procedure he’ll need, but if he’s expected to be ready come Spring Training, it’s easy to envision multiple clubs showing interest on a minor league pact. He’d be a fine depth option for the Cardinals in that regard, and he’s clearly already made a nice impression on the organization.
With LeBlanc out for the remainder of the season and Jack Flaherty again on the shelf with a shoulder strain, the Cardinals will continue relying on Adam Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, Jon Lester and J.A. Happ atop the rotation. Lefty Kwang Hyun Kim and right-handers Jake Woodford and Daniel Ponce de Leon are among the other options to start games down the stretch for a Cardinals club that is buried in the NL Central but sits just three and a half games back of the second Wild Card spot in the National League.
He pitched so well for the Cardinals since he was signed. I hope LeBlanc recovers soon and I expect him to pitch next season. I don’t know for who he is going to play, but he was great playing for the Cards.
Great? You must have pretty low standards.
3.61 ERA. 1.44 WHIP. 42IP. 23K. 16BB
you are the most negative person on here…sometimes stats don’t really paint the whole picture…just chew on that for a while…do you even watch the cardinals or just come on here to negatively comment?
He only comments on Cardinals articles and only to bash or disparage them. I can only imagine how bitter and unhappy he is in his actual life.
My life is great. Living in reality is the way to go. You should try it.
Do you even have a team you root for? all you ever seem to do is run your mouth about the cards/fans/players/etc…
I’m a Cardinal fan, and have been a long time. But in the last five years, Mozeliak has destroyed this team.
Well, I don’t disagree with you when it comes to Mozeliak. Once Luhnow left, things have steadily went downhill with scouting and player development.
And I believe, until the fans start showing their displeasure with Mozeliak(empty stadium), this team won’t compete for a WS. I don’t strive for the WC. Like any business, a CEO can wear out his stay too long. Mozeliak has been in control 15 seasons. That’s a long time in the sports world. Time to move on.
Sometimes facts hurt people. Especially when used against feelings.
Luhnow did do some good for the Cards but he has been gone for over 10 years. Dan Kantrovitz was the one who hurt because he was the one who found and drafted all the pitching the cards have now. Randy Flores hasn’t moved any needles for me.
Their love for Bader has hurt them big time. Gave up on Arozarena and Garcia to keep that Bourjos 2.0. To get NOTHING but a little cash for Garcia sucks. The Ozuna trade really looks bad. Alcantara would be your #1 and Gallen would be a solid back end starter. I’m not sure Lane Thomas will be consistent enough moving forward, but if he goes on for a solid career in Washington, there’s another one that will leave egg on the face of Mozeliak. They better hope Liberatore and Gorman are the real deal. Tampa rarely loses a trade.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
Anthony DeSclafani, Kyle Gibson, Charlie Morton, Jose Berrios, Chris Flexen, Nathan Eovaldi, Frankie Montas, Zack Greinke, Lucas Giolito, Tyler Mahle, Hyun Jin Ryu, Dylan Cease, Sean Manaea, and Yu Darvish have all pitched around 150ip+ and all have era’s around 3.30-3.90 and yet some of them are Aces, All-Stars, 25 Million+ SP’s. Your comment is stupid, just please shut up and get off of this thread.
The fact you’re comparing LeBlanc to these guys is comical. Go ask John Gant what happens when you walk guys at high rates and can’t strike guys out. 42IP 23K. 16BB.
You guys just gloss right over that.
Yes, I watch the games. Yes, I can spot a turd when I see it. I see a few on here and few on the Cards staff.
150+IP. 42IP. Let’s see…nice comp.
Considering we got the guy off waivers for nothing I think most fans will agree he did a good job.
Buster, you’re the first guy not to use the word “great” with LeBlanc. Thank you. You get it.
As I said in another comment, McFarland and Garcia were also claimed off waivers. They have been great. LeBlanc, has been serviceable, decent, or even good.
Disjointed Team- What are you talking about? His ERA wasn’t bad and he was not pitching deep in game, but he gave the opportunity to the team to win. But, he pitched better than with the Orioles. It’s just easy to comment when you probably didn’t watch a single game when he was pitching.
He just had a short, very lucky stretch. Not uncommon. And there aren’t a ton of guys you can bring in mid-season so a highly successful signing by the Cards I’d say. But I wouldn’t count on anything in 2022.
Sure great might not be the best word but 0.5 WAR is no laughing matter when the WC is as close as it is
You can’t possibly be a cards fan who actually watches them. We absolutely had low standard because our staff was decimated. Leblanc came in and delivered some great outings for the cards. His results were above and beyond. Consequently, he was great for the cards.
Sorry, but your version of “great” and my version of great are really different. If you want to say, serviceable or decent, then by all means say that. T.J. McFarland has been great. 1.46 ERA with a WHIP of 0.93. That’s a great find for them. Add Garcia and Sosa to that list too. Without those 3, this team would likely be 6-7 games out of the WC, if not more.
He was an absolutely fantastic 3 or 4. Nobody is saying he’s an ace. Do you not understand the different roles of the rotation and the fact that someone can be great in one role and average in another. Good lord…
If? Well if Flaherty wouldn’t have been hurt for the better part of the season the cardinals would easily be in the wild card lead if not also battling for the division…you see you can look at things in an optimistic way
So none of the Padres, Mets, Braves, Reds, or Phillies injuries affected their records? Got it. And you wonder why I think you’re an ID–T? And battling for the division? They’re 14 games behind Milwaukee.
Lol I never said that other teams haven’t had injuries…I was just explaining that “if” is not a very smart thing to hang your hat on…but go ahead and assume I’m an idiot…not to mention now you are an official keyboard tough guy…hide behind your computer more
You’re all over the map here with your comments. And trust me. I’m not assuming anything about you.
lol What? Ok keyboard tough guy…keep hiding behind the computer…sorry I made you like an idiot
Any day you want to meet, I’ll meet and buy you a beer. Or you can keep running your mouth. Made me look like an idiot? How so? Because I said “if” in reference to LeBlanc and you go off on some tangent about Flaherty being healthy and they would be competing for the division? That made me look like an idiot? Your logic and comments are similar to listening to #46.
ok let’s meet at ballpark village tomorrow at noon….you can buy me that beer… let’s see how tough you are then…I will be wearing the shirt that says “I love keyboard tough guys”
I’m sure you will. You getting that made today or do you just have one available?
How you doin’?
Wow, the Cards’ rotation almost qualifies for senior discounts!
Top rotation candidate bound for a regression next year, and I can’t wait to see it happen.
LeBlanc is through.
Problem is due to the fact that he has been cleaning the wax from his ears with his elbows !!
Now that is a fresh take!!!