The St. Louis Cardinals wrapped up their nine-game homestand with a disappointing 3–6 record. Their only series win came against the Los Angeles Dodgers, while they dropped series to both the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays.
After an impressive performance in May, June has not gone according to plan for the Redbirds.
Both the pitching staff and position players needed adjustments. The bench depth suffered with Jordan Walker sidelined due to injury, and the bullpen struggled, recording a 4.38 ERA for the month and averaging just 6.81 strikeouts per nine innings.
In need of a shakeup, the team got exactly that on Thursday afternoon.
The St. Louis Cardinals promoted RHP Andre Granillo and outfielder Michael Siani while demoting RHP Chris Roycroft and designating outfielder Ryan Vilade for assignment.
Let’s begin with the position players.
Ryan Vilade is hitting just .077 this season. He was called up when Jordan Walker landed on the IL, serving as the fourth outfielder. Surprisingly, he was logging more plate appearances than Nolan Gorman—often considered the player in need of regular opportunities—until recently. However, Vilade wasn’t contributing offensively, so his removal from the roster makes sense.
Replacing him is outfielder Michael Siani, who returns to the big-league club after an impressive stint with Triple-A Memphis. In 33 games, he’s hit .263 with a .348 on-base percentage and a .451 slugging percentage, adding five home runs, 17 RBIs, and eight stolen bases. He’ll likely serve as the fourth outfielder but could get some starts while Brendan Donovan manages a toe injury.
The bullpen, which has long needed a shakeup, gets a boost with the addition of Andre Granillo. The hard-throwing right-hander has been dominant in Memphis, and this will be his major league debut after being drafted in the 14th round in 2021. He may debut tonight against the Brewers.
Granillo boasts a 39.7% strikeout rate and a tiny 1.82 ERA across 29.2 innings, with opposing hitters managing just a .159 average against him. While he likely won’t be trusted in high-leverage spots right away, he has the potential to grow into a key late-inning arm for manager Oliver Marmol. Vilade’s removal from the 40-man roster opened a spot for him.
To make room on the active roster, the team optioned right-hander Chris Roycroft. He’s been frequently moved between Memphis and St. Louis, and with a 6.92 ERA and just nine strikeouts in 13 innings, his lack of swing-and-miss stuff made the decision an easy one for a bullpen in need of strikeouts.
The Cardinals now head out on a seven-game road trip, beginning with four games against the Brewers before their only off day left in June. With these roster moves, the team is hoping to spark a turnaround after a lackluster stretch of play.
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