The Cardinals announced this morning that they have placed outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day injured list with a right foot sprain. First baseman Juan Yepez was recalled from Triple-A in the corresponding move. The sprain presumably brings O’Neill’s 2023 campaign to a close, given the limited time remaining on the regular season schedule.
Despite rampant speculation early in the season that the club could deal O’Neill following an incident back in April where he was benched by manager Oli Marmol for a perceived lack of hustle, no such trade materialized before the trade deadline on August 1. That could be thanks at least in part due to O’Neill’s difficult first half. The 28-year-old made it into just 29 games with the Cardinals prior to the All Star break thanks to a low back strain, slashing just .228/.283/.337 with a 34.3% strikeout rate in those first 99 trips to the plate this season.
While his season started off on a rough note, O’Neill has looked greatly improved at the plate in recent months. His .233/.329/.445 slash line in 167 plate appearances since returning from injury shortly after the All Star break is far more palatable than his early season numbers. His strikeout rate has plummeted to just 19.8% over that period, while his walk rate has ticked up to 12.6%, a considerable jump from the 7.1% rate he posted in the first half. With that improved discipline at the plate and the ability to play center field, O’Neill could be a valuable player to the Cardinals as he heads into his final year of team control in 2024, whether that be as a trade chip or as a piece of the club’s outfield next year.
With Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker presumably locked into every day playing time, O’Neill will have to fight for playing time with the likes of Yepez, Dylan Carlson, and Alec Burleson for playing time in the outfield and at DH, assuming trades aren’t made to clear the club’s outfield logjam. Thanks to O’Neill’s injury, Yepez will get his first extended opportunity this season to showcase his skills at the big league level. After a solid rookie campaign with the Cardinals where he batted .253/.296/.447 in 76 games, Yepez has made just 46 plate appearances in the majors this year, slashing a lackluster .214/.283/.381 in that limited playing time. That being said, Yepez has gotten on a heater at the Triple-A level in recent weeks with a .305/.356/.481 slash line over his past 45 games. If he can keep that sort of production up at the big league level in the final weeks of the season, Yepez could re-establish himself as a contender for more playing time in the majors headed into 2024.
More from St. Louis…
- The Cardinals will be without left-hander JoJo Romero for longer than initially expected, as noted by MLB.com. Marmol told reporters yesterday that Romero, who went on the injured list earlier this month due to knee tendinitis, is “still working on strengthening his knee” and that the current plan is for him to throw another side session today before determining when he’ll return to action. Romero has taken on a high leverage role in the St. Louis bullpen in the weeks since the club moved on from closer Jordan Hicks at the trade deadline, and the 27-year-old lefty has thrived in his new role. In 17 innings of work (12 appearances) since recording his first save, Romero has posted a 3.18 ERA with a microscopic 0.79 FIP. That incredible figure is thanks to a whopping 35.8% strikeout rate against a minuscule 3% walk rate during that time frame.
- St. Louis parted ways with right-hander Jack Flaherty at this year’s trade deadline, dealing him to the Orioles in a buzzer-beating deal that brought back a trio of youngsters. That deal coming to fruition was far from a guarantee, however. As reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal earlier this week, the Cardinals nearly came to an agreement with the Rays to send Flaherty to Tampa, though the deal collapsed in the medical review stage of the process. Since then, the Rays lost left-hander Shane McClanahan to Tommy John surgery, further weakening the club’s starting rotation. While it’s worth wondering if Tampa’s interest in the pending free agent could carry over into the offseason, it should be noted that Flaherty has struggled badly since joining the Orioles, with a 7.11 ERA in seven starts for Baltimore.
If the Orioles had singed Chris Bassitt
Then the Rays could have had Flaherty all day long
Then again
Also, I am surprised that Flaherty snuck through the Orioles medicals
Well it looks like the Rays could have had him all day long anyway but failed their physical and passed the Orioles physical.
I’m thinking the O’s probably wish he failed theirs right about now.
My understanding is that it was the player coming back to St. Louis in the trade that was unable to pass the physical, not Flaherty
Stop we all now that the only team in the league that passes failed physicals are the Twinkies!
Same here cah! Flaherty was healthy and dealing at the time of the trade… the Rays failed to offer a better deal than Baltimore at the last second after STL didn’t want to pick up a injured bill of health?
Oh, no. Cue the Grant Balfour memories.
I was thinking that, but I was sad because I wanted Balfour
He was fun when he was healthy
Well there is still time left in the season to redeem
Yepez would really benefit from a trade. I thought that after last year he would get more chances this season but it has been the opposite.
I thought he earned playing time last year to? But his numbers have regressed majorly at AAA Memphis this year?
Yeah. It feels like he’s been moping around Memphis all season.
That’s probably not true, but it really seemed like he had become a bonafide major league hitter last season.
For his sake, I hope he’s traded this winter.
Peter Angelos medical evaluations wouldn’t have passed. John Angelos apparently lightening up on the med checks. Good sign.
The medicals were for whomever TB was trading to STL.
So which two out of O’Neill, Yepez, Burleson, Carlson, and Donovan should St. Louis ship out this off-season for some pitching depth ????
They should move O’Neill just to save themselves the headache and drama. Yepez is forced out by his righthandedness.
Lol the Cardinals & of course little stevie!
Donovan returns the most. O’Neill and Carlson are fragile. Burleson is one dimensional and all 4 block Yepez. Add Knizner to this list as he has made himself more attractive in trades and he blocks Herrera. They will probably trade Edman.
You mean which 4. They should only keep one and whether that one is Carlson, O’Neil or Donovan should depend on what their trade partner accepts for a decent pitcher.
Frankly, I’d move any and all of the above, with Edman under consideration as well if it nets 1-2 quality starters. Clearly, Donovan and Edman should bring back the most.
Neither the Cardinals manager nor front office has shown the ability to identify which player(s) deserve(s) to play everyday and apparently the only way to help them decide is to ‘thin the herd.” Maybe they ought use Crowdfund thinking by letting teams know everyone is available and see who draws the MOST interest, then trade the 4-5-6 most wanted players to the teams who expressed interest (or even the 3-4-5 if needed to bring back the necessary pitching).
O’Neill & Yepez to start and maybe Burleson. Edman & Donovan are super versatile, so I would only trade them for a quality starter with control. Carlson is a good depth piece when healthy. Gorman is either 2B or DH. Winn and Edman can cover SS. Contreras and Herrera cover C/DH leaving Knizner a trade candidate as well. Logjam cleared
If there was any market for that group a trade would have happened at the deadline. Nobody wants the underachieving, overripe prospects of the Cardinals. And if anybody thinks that they can get back decent pitching for any of them then they are just kidding themselves.
Flaherty obviously isn’t working out for my O’s right now but at the time the risk/reward factor didn’t look so bad. Sometimes taking the chances don’t work out. Grayson was the biggest question mark for me at the deadline with whether his trip back to the minors had helped him right the ship. He’s definitely answered my questions lol.
TO couldn’t play dead in a funeral home
Flaherty may not be performing on the field, but he brings a wealth of woke social commentary which is certain to inspire the team and fanbase.
Stupid comment, shame on you
I’m woke? But not as woke as your woke shaming comment? Oh wait that’s not woke? Well whats woke? Being aware to sexism? Hate towards LGBTQ? That’s also considered woke? Hmmm hey all you female reporters? This guy thinks a male could do a better job… how’s that make you feel?
Hold my beer, budlight, Jeff Porter and Mickey Callaway gonna speak for a second or two…
*cricketz* hey umm we got a live mic? Where these guys at?
Yepez blows. If someone is unable to beat him out for a spot at doing anything, they should reevaluate their life.
O’Neil = Disappointment
In my opinion, trading Contreras should be the Cardinals #1 priority in terms of sorting out the roster logjam.
He had a huge second half.
The “is he really a catcher” controversy is starting to fade from memory. His hitting statistics in the second half will make some GM (Cashman) drool
There will never be a better opportunity to get out from under the contract. They should do it now while they still can.
I think the Cardinals have to trade a catcher this winter. Herrera needs to be a starter somewhere. If it’s not with the Cardinals, they surely need pitching more than they need three MLB catchers.
Besides, Pages is ready for AAA to timeshare with the in-house guys, Crooks is ready for AA, and Bernal is ready for A+. (Pages looks like a MLB backup, but Crooks and Bernal have starter potential.)
O’Neil on the injured list as usual. I don’t see him having much trade value.
They still need to trade him, no matter the return. He’s clogging the roster.
O’neil needs to apply for early disability from the government