The Cardinals started the season without their biggest offseason signing, as staff ace Sonny Gray opened the 2024 campaign on the shelf due to a hamstring strain. The right-hander was scheduled for a final rehab start this past week before returning to big league action, but those plans were dashed by an unfortunate rainout that kept Gray from taking the mound. The club initially announced that Gray would have his Triple-A start pushed back to this coming Tuesday, but manager Carlos Marmol revealed to reporters (including The Athletic’s Katie Woo) today that Gray’s start that day will actually be for the big league club.
Per Marmol, Gray will be limited to around 65 pitches in his Cardinals debut, where he’ll take on the Phillies in the second game of a three-game set between the clubs. Gray landed in St. Louis back in November on a three-year, $75MM deal following a dominant 2023 season in Minnesota. The right-hander posted a 2.79 ERA with an MLB-best 2.83 FIP for the Twins last year in a performance that earned him his third career All Star appearance and a second-place finish in AL Cy Young award voting behind Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.
The Cardinals are surely hoping Gray will bring that same form to St. Louis. The club was plagued by one of the worst starting pitching staffs in the majors last year, and the early returns haven’t been much better so far with the rotation’s 5.64 FIP in the young 2024 campaign is better than only the Rockies and Blue Jays among all big league clubs. Upon his return, Gray figures to replace struggling youngster Zack Thompson in the club’s rotation mix, slotting in alongside fellow veterans Miles Mikolas, Steven Matz, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn.
More from around the NL Central…
- The Cubs made a surprise roster move just before the start of their game against the Dodgers this afternoon, placing right-hander Julian Merryweather on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain as noted by Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. It’s a significant blow to the club’s relief corps, as Merryweather has dominated with a 3.29 ERA (136 ERA+) and a nearly matching 3.46 FIP in 73 appearances for the Cubs across the past two seasons. Merryweather’s absence will pave the way for right-hander Daniel Palencia, who pitched to a 4.45 ERA across 27 appearances in his rookie season last year, to join the club’s bullpen. Meanwhile, Merryweather’s role in the club’s late-inning mix alongside Adbert Alzolay and Hector Neris figures to be filled by Mark Leiter Jr.
- Speaking of pitching roster moves, the Brewers placed right-hander Jakob Junis on the 15-day IL yesterday due to a right shoulder impingement. Fortunately for Milwaukee, it sounds as though the issue isn’t particularly serious. According to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, an MRI on Junis’s shoulder came back clean and Junis told reporters that he hopes to begin ramping back up in a few days. That would seem to indicate an absence near the minimum for the right-hander, who’s been replaced by southpaw Aaron Ashby on the active roster while he recuperates. Ashby, 26 next month, did not pitch in the majors last year after undergoing shoulder surgery but now appears to be healthy, having already made a five-inning start at the Triple-A level this season.
Shout out to Carlos Marmol lol
Wicked slider!
That dude had one nasty ass Frisbee slide piece lol. He was wild at times but dang was he filthy
On any given day Carlos Marmol only had one pitch he could throw for a strike, either his fastball or his slider. At no point during his career could he ever throw both for a strike on the same day.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Marmol?wprov=sfti1
Cardinals manager. Not Carlos.
For the alleged worst division in baseball thing have started off pretty good…
Still not fixed
Maybe Carlos is a better manager.
Oliver won’t be happy
Getting Gray back will be a needed boost.
Why do White Sox keep bringing in Garcia in to give up runs. White Sox manager is just terrible!!
Central Notes: Pirates Have the best record in baseball (with games still to be completed today) Because you know… we are deep into the season (/s)
The Pirates started the year against the Marlins and Nationals, not exactly a strong pair of opponents.
And…the Orioles.
Lol Orioles
Two 2023 Play off teams. Granted they havn’t looked like it this year but you know… playing the best team in baseball can do that 🙂
NOTE: i’m just having some fun while i can.
I remember last year when they were 20-10 at one point and people were like watch out for those pirates lol. Seems like they’re repeating 23 season to start the season
if they could avoid the 0-10 run and other lesser but painful losing streaks they’ll end up with a decent record.
they had some good luck so far.
Looks like Deeds needs a proofreader or an editor.
When I saw Palencia my first thought was good Cuas is gone either elsewhere or Iowa. Imagine my disappointment when I heard it was Merryweather to the IL Bummer.
I don’t know what you have against Cuas. Big deal, he gave up two runs in a mop up role against the Rockies and the Dodgers offense got at him for a run. He’s a good guy to have in the bullpen, especially with all the lefties we have in the rotation.
I would have very little faith in Cuas in high leverage situations.
Agree wylie, as mike127 has pointed out – you can play the drinking game for what pitch will he hit the ad sign behind home plate.
And the tougher the situation, the more likely Cuas is, to nail it.
Not everyone is a high leverage reliever and the Cubs need a guy a with options to be able to cycle between triple A and the MLB. Also, regardless of how you feel, a guy with a low arm slot following lefty starters is a very good weapon. Also, that low arm slot makes him pretty much unhittable when it comes to fastballs up in the zone.
According to your own posts you say that you can’t use Cuas 2 days in a row or against the same team, And it’s obvious you can’t bring him into a situation like Counsell did where a wild pitch and a dumb pitch cost you the game. So according to your own words you admit there are situations you can’t use him so what good is he? In today’s world of 8 man bullpens and short starts you can’t have a guy like that on your staff. So the real question is: Why are you defending him now?
I know you know more about baseball than this comment but I’ll bite.
You have Cuas because he gives you another angle, another look. His arm slot is almost impossible to get a read on following a lefty starter. In a clean inning, he’s going to give you a goose egg more often than not.
The Cubs have always had effective relievers you didn’t use in a high leverage situation. You use them on clean innings. The reason relievers are relievers is because they are gimmicks. They only have one good pitch and a show me pitch, they have a funky arm angle that’s only going to give you an inning before teams get reads, they give you something that the opposing team hasn’t seen all day. Also, Cuas is similar to Imanaga, ie, his is unhittable up in the zone. When a pitch is going in an upward trajectory against guys who swing down on balls, they are not hitting that pitch.
You have a guy on and need an out or two, Cuas, you have a clean inning and need 3 outs, Cuas, you have Wicks going five innings, Cuas. That is why you have Cuas. That is why the Cubs traded for him and he tossed a 3 ERA last season. Just because Ross didn’t know how to use him doesn’t mean he isn’t good or effective.
Maybe in your eyes every reliever is Josh Hader, who’s an effective gimmick as well, but in reality, you need guys just like Cuas.
And also, before you coming in with something else, options. Cuas will see himself in mop up roles where he won’t strive, pitching multiple innings as a necessity in blow out or in a mop up role because he can be optioned.
Well the clean inning thing I buy, You should never, never EVER bring this guy into a game with people on base. That being said the Cubs have guys at Iowa who would be much better with an opportunity. Sanders is a nice talent, Hodge is being used at AA as a reliever right now who would be a better option. Pannone has been pitching goose eggs ever since he took Tallion’s start in ST. Cuas is a reclamation/Conversion project. The Cubs have real P’s they can use. I’m sorry but I just don’t see what you see. I really don’t know what it is you see in him.
As far as innings eaters go, Tallion is almost back. Then Assad goes to the pen. Smyly is out there. Pannone is starting at Iowa. Now those would be innings eaters. You could bring any of those guys in and let them finish a game. How many innings eaters do you need?
I sincerely hope you’re watching this Padres/Cuas new fiasco if you need any further proof,
Who said anything about innings eater?
Last night just proved everything I said, CC put him in a role he wouldn’t succeed in. Cuas also really has no business throwing a sinker for a strike. His money is up in the zone, given his arm slot, anything low is basically flat. I get the Cubs want to work north/south but when south for him, it needs to be out of the zone.
Also, since you brought up inning eaters, there is a difference between long relief and inning eater. You don’t waste Assad in an inning eater role. Smyly is an innings eater, Assad, if/when moved to the pen is long relief.
CC made a bad bullpen move, I get he is learning his guys but this is the second time he misused Caus, if he doesn’t feel comfortable burning his long relief option (Smyly) in a blow out then the Cubs need to bring up Wesneski.
Someone please tell me…. What is so surprising about the Cardinals’ 5.64 FIP? Earth calling John Mozeliak….
What is so dominating about a 3.29 ERA? Its good. Its solid. But I wouldn’t call it dominating.
Agree with you a 3.29 ERA is solid, but not dominant. The story with Merryweather is got off to a horrid start, but did indeed dominate the rest of the way.