The Cardinals announced they’re not tendering a contract to right-hander Alex Reyes or outfielder Ben DeLuzio. Both players head to free agency. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had predicted a $2.85MM arbitration salary for Reyes, while DeLuzio is not eligible for arbitration.
Reyes was once touted as one of the best prospects in all of baseball, regularly featuring on various publication’s top-100 lists, including a fourth-place ranking on Baseball America’s pre-2017 list of the best prospects in baseball. The foundation of that was some elite stuff, headlined by a triple-digit fastball and a lethal curveball.
After blowing away minor league batters, he made his big league debut in 2016 and didn’t disappoint. The then-21-year-old tossed 46 innings of 1.57 ERA ball, giving up just one home run and striking out batters 27.5% of the time. He looked every bit a major league pitcher, and looked certain to be a atop Cardinal rotations for many years to come.
Tommy John surgery prior would wipe out his 2017 campaign, but he looked like he was back to his best on minor league rehab stints in 2018, striking out 44 batters across 23 innings and four starts. Yet disaster would strike after Reyes was activated, as he went down just four innings into his first start back, and eventually undergoing season-ending surgery on a torn tendon in his lat.
He’d return in 2019, but walked six batters in three innings and was immediately optioned to the minor leagues. That began yet another injury-plagued year and Reyes would only add 37 1/3 innings of 6.03 ERA ball in the minors, as he again spent most of the season on the injured list.
The Cardinals brought him back in 2020, but now opted to utilize him out of the bullpen. While the walks were still a concern (16.3%), Reyes posted the best season since his 2016 effort, tossing 19 2/3 innings of 3.20 ERA ball, striking out batters 31.2% of the time. He followed that up with a lights out start to the 2021 campaign, pitching to a 1.52 ERA as St Louis’ closer and earning a trip to the All Star game. The second half was a different story though, and Reyes was dropped from the closer role and wound up with a dismal 5.52 second half ERA.
Injury problems returned again in 2022, and Reyes underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in May wiping out his season and leading the Cardinals to move on from him today. As it went, that rookie season accounted for 1.3 of his career 1.7 fWAR, an unfortunate return for a player who was once seen as a foundation piece in St Louis.
With that being said, his raw stuff still appears to be there, and despite all the injury problems his velocity has remained steadily in the upper-90s. Depending on his health, Reyes could make a very attractive reclamation project for any number of teams. He’s only 28, and teams would certainly love the opportunity to take a chance on an arm like his.
DeLuzio is the other Cardinal to be non-tendered. The center fielder appeared in 22 games in 2022, mostly as a defensive replacement as he made just 25 plate appearances, batting .150/.292/.200. Though many of the players being non-tendered today are arbitration-eligible, it’s not uncommon to see non-arbitration players informed they won’t receive a contract, as the Cardinals have done here to free up a 40-man spot.
Alex, we had such high hopes.
If his durability and health only matched what offering coming out of his hand from the mound, were talking huge payday in free agency, instead it’s just a sad feeling. It was great to see him close games in 2021 and make the all star team. I loved watching him pitch finally, electric stuff he just can’t stay healthy
I’d love the divisional opponent Pirates to give him an extended look
Woohoo!
Thank goodness!
Would like to see Jays pick him up. No risk, high ceiling.
They said he’s going to miss like the first 2 months of the season. Which is why the cards ultimately decided to non tender him
He’s basically Nate Pearson before Nate was a thing but I agree can’t be any worse than Merryweather
I would love for the Pirates to take a chance if his shoulder checks out.
i wish the best for alex and it’s hard to feel for him sadly some guys aren’t built to last.
Trade your prospects, kids.
Who would they have traded for and when? The Cardinals were in the middle of a rebuild/pause period where they never had a loosing season, but never really were a threat from 2016-2018? Who would they have traded him for in 2015? And would that have made the difference against the Cubs? Hard sell
Marcel Ozuna trade worked well for the Cards… Maybe trading your prospects isn’t always the right move.
Why would they non tender Ben who isn’t even arb eligible and won’t be for years?
To free up a roster spot for free agents and the rule5 draft.
ben looked lost
He made a couple of sparking plays in the field. Great defender, blazing speed. Not much offense to speak of. He came into a game I attended against the braves as a defensive replacement and made one of the better plays I’ve ever seen at the ballpark in person. But yeah, free up 40 man space to protect more prospects from rule 5 or to add more players via trade or signing. It’s unfortunate for Deluzio but he was expendable in the eyes of the front office, especially with the glut of Outfield talent, Burleson, O’Neill, Carlson, Nootbaar, and Walker to more than likely join the picture in 2023?
Reyes must be more damaged than first thought.
He’s going to miss at least two months of the season rehabbing. He would have still gotten a decent arb salary because of arb rules. It makes sense to cut him, even if they try to sign him back cheaper.
Never seen the guy pitch. But this has Dodgers written all over it. Scrap the curveball and mix in a cutter or splitter.
Shoulder injuries seem to be the death knell. nowadays. They can rebuild elbows a lot easier.
Definitely true, so many careers derailed by shoulder injuries, Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana, Micheal Wacha, Jaime Garcia, Mark Mulder, Mark Prior, the list goes on and on
Sarcasm? Hard to tell
Hope the A’s take a look here. They’ve got nothing to lose and can offer him the closer job.
Once upon a time, the #1 prospect in all of baseball. Sigh.
Sign Reyes for the Mets bullpen
I hope (insert favorite team) signs him.
Mets, need bullpen help
Not worth $2.85 million, but he’s a nice lottery pick for any team.
Future oriole!
He would be worth a roll of the dice.
Please Mets PLEASE SIGN THIS GUY! If they don’t sign him, its clear they have no idea what they are doing
Belli on the Mets? They’d be paying 1/10m or more for a 4th OFer or to make him part of a 5-headed beast including one of Baty or Vientos in LF. Do you swap him, McNeil, Canha, and Marte in and out of CF, mixing and matching by handedness and GB% tendency of your starter that day?
It could work, but it probably won’t help much. If you don’t hit gold, you bought yourself a 1-win OFer for that 10m, have the same problem in 2023, and whenever Bellinger is playing your lineup looks something like:
McNeil
Marte
Lindor
Alonso
Canha
Vogelbach
Escobar
Bellinger
Nido
I had hoped that the Cardinals would not have given up on Alex just yet. But then with their track record with pitcher development they likely would not have been able to help him progress.
Ben DeLuzio is an American hero you don’t cut him. He saved those kids from that burning building!
I’ll bet they bring DeLuzio back before Spring Training. Good luck Alex Reyes. I wish him the best, but it was the right move. Just too much uncertainty.
I agree, but why? They have Scott Hurst to exactly fill his role. But yeah, they will prob re-sign him to minors deal. Maybe he is great in the clubhouse
That list of injuries seems like the march to thoracic outlet surgery
Orioles
too bad he cant stay healthy, he’s really talented
So close.to.being the best ever……
Pirates should run not walk to pick him up!
I wouldn’t mind if the Red Sox would sign him on a 1-2 year deal. We need a flame thrower in our bullpen…
It appears that with the retirements of Molina and Pujols, the Cardinals no longer have as much of a need for a speedster such as DeLuzio as a late inning pinch runner.
Why did they let him go? His stats look pretty good unless I’m missing something.