The Cardinals have returned Rule V draftee Ben Jukich to the Reds, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Jukich, 27, pitched as a swingman in the Cincinnati system last season. His 4.10 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 123 innings were good, not great at Triple-A Louisville. And considering he's actually allowed a higher batting average to lefties (.270) than righties (.256) in his career, he didn't figure to be a lefty specialist, either.
St. Louis GM John Mozeliak said he tried to work out a deal to keep Jukich, but couldn't "find a fit", Goold writes.
According to a report by the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fayman, Reds manager Dusty Baker is happy to have Jukich back.
