We felt like wed get him moving and determine whats next for him.. But Im just thankful for my chance to be here still, and I'm just going to do what I can every day until I hear anything else.. He emerged from those sessions with a more balanced swing, newly confident that he could get back to being the player who smashed 74 home runs from 2017-19, finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in '17 and played in the All-Star Game in '19. DeJong had begun spring training on a good note after reworking his swing in the offseason. Losing focus of what Im doing has been my biggest enemy. And have you gotten ample amount of playing time to be prepared when called upon? Mozeliak said from T-Mobile Park on Saturday before the Cardinals faced the Mariners. However, the flashy rookie had his troubles with Verlander on Wednesday, striking out in each of his first two plate appearances. THE COLD WIRE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COLD WIRE MEDIA. A World Series winner as a player and the big, booming voice of summer as a broadcaster, St. Louis native spent more than 50 years as a champi, Walker was not in the internal lineup Wednesday for a third consecutive day, and the reason: He's being demoted to Class AAA. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the position of shortstop and was drafted in the 2015 MLB Draft in the fourth round. We feel pretty good about what Tommys doing at second at the moment, but (shortstop) is not out of the question.. I think hes had a lot of voices in his ear and we need to simplify that, Mozeliak said. He hit fewer fly balls. DeJong's best offensive year is still his 2017 rookie season, as he finished second in NL Rookie Of The Year voting, and the Cards locked him up with a six-year, $26MM contract extension. Move up in the box, back in the box, sideways in the box, and erase the box with their foot before standing on the plate. This doesnt mean the Cardinals will not call up Gorman. Cardinals: What will Paul DeJong's role be for St. Louis after return By the end of April, he was batting just .137. Heres what you need to know: Its been a disappointing spring for DeJong, 29, who entered camp this season on the final year of his six-year, $26 million contract. Its a small sample size, of course, but its an encouraging start since it is something he struggled with in the minors. Ranking the 10 worst contracts in the National League Central. Unsubscribe at any time. The result was a league-average player with improving defense. Why St. Louis remains committed to a motivated Paul DeJong at shortstop Hes hitting better now. RHP Chris Flexen (0-3, 7.79 ERA): Flexen comes into Sunday set to face an NL Central team for the third consecutive time. In 2018 he slashed .241/.313/.433 in 490 plate appearances and in his All-Star campaign in 2019 he slashed .233/.318/.444 . Thats worrisome. "I had faith that I would make my return," DeJong told The Sporting News after the game Friday. Zachary Silver. @ zachsilver. He is the winner of the 2019 All-Star award. Of the four hits he allowed, two here homers. Can we get him at-bats here? Marmol asked hypothetically. However, Sosa will have a legitimate shot to win the job outright once he returns from the COVID-19 IL, which is likely to come by Thursday. Cardinals: Paul DeJong - The Downfall We Should Have Seen Coming RHP Jack Flaherty (1-2, 2.95 ERA): The last time Flaherty took the mound for the Cardinals, he threw a season-high six innings and allowed a season-high four runs on four hits against Arizona on April 17. On Sunday, in his first game back after spending much of the past . JUPITER, Fla. Back in mid-March, long after the majority of the major leaguers had headed back to the clubhouse for the day or left for the golf course there stood Paul DeJong on an . Is This Time Different for Paul DeJong? - Viva El Birdos St. Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong bats during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, April 9, 2022, in St. Louis. A nightly look at the day\'s top sports stories, and a first look at the topics St. Louis fans will be talking about tomorrow. Tommy Edman transitioned from second base to shortstop while top infield prospect Nolan Gorman took over at second. In 2017 DeJong hit .285/.325/.532 with 25 homers in 443 PAs and a 123 wRC+. However, hes been unable to carry over the momentum from that moment because of multiple injuries. What Holmes has been most of the season was not what he was Friday night. In May, DeJong played just eight games for the Cardinals, batting .115 with a .297 OPS. It seemed very likely that once DeJong started facing the worlds best pitching again, his K rate would climb back up to 30%. I would argue that outside of his often-cited, never duplicated rookie season, his former production levels arent all that exciting. His breaking and offspeed rates soared. Its something that we the last couple of days have really been agonizing over, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said from the Cardinals dugout on Tuesday. And even if he does, its possible that he has played his last game in a Cardinals uniform. Yet through the last two seasons, DeJong hasnt been able to regain that form. Thats pretty good for a 23-year-old shortstop. He was able to demonstrate the changes during his rehab assignment as batted .353 with three doubles, two homers, and drove in 14 RBIs in 34 at-bats for Class AAA Memphis after he had gone one-for-nine in three Class Low-A games to start the rehab assignment. It could be that Edman -- who returned to camp on Wednesday when South Korea did not advance out of WBC pool play -- returns at shortstop before DeJong takes the field. The St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong has finally made his debut in the 2023 MLB season and it did not take him much time before making his presence felt on offense. Gorman will start at second and bat third behind leadoff hitter Lars Nootbaar and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. DeJong went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and six RBIs on Friday for Memphis, boosting his batting average to .353 and his OPS to 1.068 in nine games. ST. LOUIS After going 0-3 against the San Francisco Giants May 8 of this season, Paul DeJong's future as a Cardinal looked murky at best. Eligibility restrictions apply. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. It seemed best for the club to work out a change-of-scenery type deal that would allow him to compete at SS and try to get himself right. Paul DeJong back in lineup for Cardinals - MLB In July, DeJong was hit with a pitch and missed a few weeks. Could Paul DeJong provide a 94 wRC+ or better against primarily right-handed pitchers while giving Edman time off to stay fresh defensively? Coming off a 2022 season in which he hit .157 and was demoted to Triple-A Memphis on May 10, DeJong spent most of his offseason at the team's Florida complex reworking his approach at the plate. St. Louis will prepare to be without DeJong for at least a couple of weeks. Andrew Knizner will be Flahertys batterymate as Willson Contreras is slotted into his regular five spot in the lineup as the Cardinals designated hitter. I eased into it as time went on. The clubs first-round Draft pick in 2015, Woodford emerged as a valuable depth arm in 2022, pitching to a 2.23 ERA across 48 1/3 innings in a versatile role. We cant if Tommys at second, and we dont want to just move Tommy over there without a strategic plan for that transition.. What went wrong for Paul DeJong in 2022? - stltoday.com A look at internal options for the rotation. He has struck out 11 times, which is 26.8 percent of the time, and that is a number that is far too high. Wainwright is scheduled to make a second rehab start with Springfield, which will come on the road at Wichita. The most important thing is just getting a routine and playing again, not having to look over your shoulder, Mozeliak said. Paul DeJong Biography- MLB player, Salary, Earnings, Net worth, Married He went 8 for 9 in save opportunities. It's a fine line between competing and working on stuff, Woodford said. When he's not writing sports articles, you can find him playing MLB The Show, watching Cardinals games, and scrolling through Star Wars memes. Me? In 77 MLB games last season, he hit .157 with six home runs and 25 RBIs -- prompting the offseason work to change his approach at the plate. In June, DeJong spent days, then weeks, then the entire month in the minors. Practically giddy over what they hoped they had developed, the Cardinals inked DeJong to a regrettable arbitration buy-out deal. St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong talks with the media at the Winter Warm-Up. He cut down on his Ks in 18 and 19. (, Rodriguez began a rehab assignment on Thursday with Class AAA Memphis where he pitched a scoreless inning of relief and struck out one batter. The righty is expected to throw around 75 pitches in the outing. So I'm going to have to back off until I feel like I can flex my spine and rotate it. Tired of DeJong? PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- In a perfect world, Paul DeJong would have been in the batters box and facing Mets superstar pitcher Justin Verlander on Wednesday while using his newly designed minimal-stride approach to show the Cardinals that he can again be a useful hitter. Clay Holmes was on the mound for the visitors. They also did nothing to create a competition for him besides a too-young-to-even-consider Masyn Winn, journeyman not-a-short-stop Taylor Motter, and Evan-Mendoza-replacement Jose Fermin. All indications are that he worked in the offseason to improve, simplify his batting approach, and try to get himself back to his former production levels. Though DeJong has amassed a 0.5 bWAR on the year, he was hitting just .177 with a .648 OPS and seven homers when he went on the IL. Paul DeJong to Paul Goldschmidt. Maybe they still loved hope as a strategy? Cardinals Insider Provides Update On Paul DeJong Wainwright is scheduled to make a second rehab start with Springfield, which will come on the road at Wichita. Evaluating Paul DeJong's future with the St. Louis Cardinals Its a revitalized feeling.. The starting shortstop job was DeJongs to win back, and a promising spring campaign one where DeJong felt like (himself) again seemed to indicate this would be the season where he would turn it around. Five things I think: 1. But his weakness is against right-handed pitching. Those realities hid trouble coming. (Last updated: April 21), RHP Wilking Rodriguez (shoulder): Rodriguez began a rehab assignment on Thursday with Class AAA Memphis where he pitched a scoreless inning of relief and struck out one batter. I thought Clay threw the ball a lot better and was in command of what he was doing, for the most part.". By Tuesday morning, DeJongs fate was decided. Lets look at his AAA season to see if we can find a glimmer of hope in his tiny sample size of 40 plate appearances. The issue is now expected to sideline DeJong for at least another week before he can resume baseball activity, heightening the likelihood that he will begin the season on the injured list. I'll explain more in a forthcoming story @TheAthleticSTL pic . But that start ended with him allowing a homer, double, and a walk to the last three batters he faced to open up the seventh. Instead, DeJong has spent the spring hampered by minor injuries. Or at least not worse. After reforming his swing over the winter, DeJong was expected to factor heavily into the reserve infielder and right-handed bench bat role. The closest hes gotten since was 16% in 2021. Paul DeJong moves his rehab assignment to Memphis Monday. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. JUPITER, Fla. -- The Cardinals received some roster clarity Monday, when shortstop Paul DeJong suffered a setback in his return from lower back pain that has kept him off the field for the better part of the past week. Juan Yepez, who looks to be on the outside looking in in terms of the outfield, remains under consideration for a pinch-hit role as well. If you don't, you might want to follow his lead. Video by Derrick Goold. I asked if it DeJong would be here once hes healthy, and Marmol said they want to get to that point first and see where things are at before making that determination. Paul DeJong was at bat for the home club. Dodgers third. DeJong, 29, almost certainly would have gotten those at-bats -- and would have fielded the four groundouts to shortstop over the games first four innings. Its been a frustrating spring, because I didn't get to play the field right away and now I can't finish it off, DeJong said. Instead, DeJong faltered to the point where Mozeliak had no choice but to demote him. Thats not asking that much of him. Gambling Problem? I can't touch my toes. We need him to be where whatever he decides to do, he believes, and its not us having five or six people tell him what to do.. Since hes been here, hes put together quality at-bats. You have permission to edit this article. DeJong smashed it the other way, and the ball rattled around in the right-field corner. DeJong swung the bat well enough at Triple-A to get back to St. Louis, where he had home runs in his first two games and drove in the winning run with a double against the Yankees a few days later. He was never very good at recognizing and driving non-fastballs. ". You would be hard-pressed to find two players following more divergent paths in the 2022 season. It wasnt looking any better, so we made the move.. What DeJong has been most of the season was not what he was Friday night. Rodriguez did not allow a hit or walk in the outing and needed just nine pitches (seven strikes) to complete the outing. The combination would be another collapse. DeJong, meanwhile, was tasked with getting his career back on track in the minors. Across a span of eight games to open May, DeJong went 3-for-26. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. After that first hiccup, though, Holmes didnt allow a run the rest of the month. Paul DeJong knows why he is back in the minors - KSDK He played college baseball at the Illinois State University. Tommy Edman has a 94 career wRC+ against right-handed pitchers as a lefty batter. He made his MLB debut in May 2017 and was named July's NL Rookie of the Month that same season. DeJong spent most of the offseason reworking his approach at the plate, opting for a minimal-stride stance that allows him to be better balanced and on time for pitches. Catchers once in a lifetime lunge saves Cardinals, The world watches (and makes donations) as St. Louis bald eagle raises eaglet from a rock, Governor threatens to keep Missouri lawmakers in session over transgender rules, Barat Academy in Chesterfield to close after years of financial troubles, Four young people die in Old Monroe head-on crash, Court records online include private information for thousands of Missouri residents, Archdiocese releases third draft of proposed changes to St. Louis parishes. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. SEATTLE -- Shortstop Paul DeJong, whose career has been marred by shocking struggles much of the past three seasons, is headed back to the Cardinals and could be activated as soon as Sunday, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Saturday. While Edman is also a contender to slide to shortstop, the Cardinals would prefer to avoid making an abrupt position change, especially one that would unseat the 2021 Gold Glove winner from a position where he is continuing to excel. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Paul DeJong #11 of the St. Louis Cardinals up to bat against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 16, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Part of me wants to see progress in there. Im sorry this has happened. The pitcher with the 1.77 ERA vs. the hitter with the .140 average in 2022. In the process, hes outpitched Hudson considerably. DeJong, a former All-Star, struggled mightily last year. Use it to create a different version of DeJong whose simplified approach to getting the bat to the ball could lead him to more balls in play in good places and a more sustainable offensive model. The most likely solution? But we passed exciting up a long time ago. The Cardinals are 3-6 through their first nine games. LHP Packy Naughton (left forearm strain): Since going on the 15-day IL, Naughton has continued a rest program to see how his arm responds. Nolan Arenado (infield single) was on second base, Tyler ONeill (walk) was on first. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. A random home run in a AAA game is not normally a noteworthy event. Sign up to comment on articles, engage with fellow sports fans, and contribute to high-quality discussions. Do more work off the tee. But its highly possible that DeJong has played his last game in St. Louis, which would be the latest sign that the Cardinals middle infield of the future will feature Edman at shortstop and Gorman at second base. So whats next for DeJong? CHICAGO -- The ever-sturdy, ever-reliable Paul DeJong has been such a constant in Cardinals lineups since he debuted in 2017 that the club has stressed the need to simply find their shortstop a breather over the course of this campaign and those of the past. Over his four starts this season, Flexen has allowed 22 hits and 15 runs in 17 1/3 innings. June 11th, 2021. He also dabbles in college hoops and other sports. Rodriguez did not allow a hit or walk in the outing and needed just nine pitches (seven strikes) to complete the outing. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Over his four starts this season, Flexen has allowed 22 hits and 15 runs in 17 1/3 innings. Paul DeJong apologizes to Cardinals fans for minor-league - MSN However, the Cardinals' plans to showcase DeJong fizzled almost from the start when he was unable to play shortstop because of a case of arm fatigue. With Edman playing for South Korea in the WBC and DeJong nursing an injury, an unexpected opportunity has emerged for Masyn Winn, the No. FanGraphs has a projected playing time of only 15 percent at the shortstop position in St. Louis for Paul DeJong, while Tommy Edman owns an 81 percent projected 81 percent playing time in the same infield slot. All-Star shortstop Paul DeJong apologized to Cardinals fans for his minor-league demotion, vowing to come back "stronger than ever" when he returns from Triple-A Memphis. DeJong went 2-for-13 in his spring appearances, though he did work six walks, and one of those two hits was a home run. No longer dreading the big moment, DeJong delivers knockout blow - KMOV With 10 days remaining until the Cardinals open the regular season March 30, the team acknowledges time is running out for DeJong to heal and ramp up for Opening Day. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DeJong, who hit at least 19 home runs in each . While in AAA, DeJong was up and down, displaying the same kinds of traits he has had for years in the majors with the added production bump from facing exclusively minor league arms. The former All-Star shortstop is currently on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis. He has 1967 plate appearances of 92 wRC+ since his rookie season. But his offense was 20 percentage points below where he started. Memphis manager Ben Johnson, who guided the Triple-A Cardinals to a 12th straight victory on Saturday, feels DeJong is ready to make a difference at the MLB level with his steady demeanor and solid plate approach. Flexen comes into Sunday set to face an NL Central team for the third consecutive time. dark. He finished the 2022 season with a poor .157 average. However, DeJong may be close to making his way back. DeJong signed a six-year deal with the Cardinals worth $26 million back in 2018, and he is pressed to have a good performance this year if he wants St. Louis to have his 2024 club option ($12.5 million) picked up. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. With five named starters and seven returning relievers, one of them appears ticketed to Memphis to begin the year. I am sure that little splits-oriented nuance is part of the reason the club decided fairly early in the offseason to bring him back. His expected slugging percentage (.268) didnt fare much better, coming in at the bottom 2 percent. El Nio is likely coming back. He busted out quickly and then tanked again. We know that he has changed his swing, simplified his approach at the plate, and had a big day ahead of his promotion. He wasn't much better last . From there, DeJongs average exit velocity began to dip. What does that mean for Calif.? DeJong, who has been the clubs starting shortstop since 2017 and is signed through 2023 on a six-year, $26 million contract, was 10-for-77 with a meager .417 OPS through 24 games. Paul DeJong apologizes to fans for minor-league demotion Others want to believe he can get back to his All-Star self. He would learn to walk more topping out at 9.8% in 20. On Twitter, Cardinals insider Jeff Jones provided an update on where things stand and revealed what manager Oli Marmol had to say about the matter.
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