So that part will be reduced. The Cardinals are hopeful he can rediscover the swing that helped him hit 25 home runs as a rookie in 2017, 19 in 2018 and a career-best 30 in 2019, when he was the NLs starting shortstop in the All-Star Game. DeJongs LD% in AAA this season was over 40%. Hed been fantastic since New York traded for him before the July 2021 trade deadline, and the Yankees expected to give him a season full of important outs, though not necessarily at the very end of ballgames. Throw Kramer Robertson in there, too, if you want. He was sent down to Triple-A Memphis, lost. However, I remain skeptical that the changes he says hes made will have any significant impact on his performance at the Major League level over the long haul. Hes hitting better now. Our hope was he would get a decent amount of at-bats, especially with [starter Tommy] Edman going to the [World Baseball Classic]. His setback will require at least a week of rehab, meaning DeJong will all but surely start the season on the injured list. The at-bats just looked the same, he explained. Its a small sample size, of course, but its an encouraging start since it is something he struggled with in the minors. I do think other teams had some interest; he could have been moved. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and originates from Northern California. In 2018 he slashed .241/.313/.433 in 490 plate appearances and in his All-Star campaign in 2019 he slashed .233/.318/.444 . He returned in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, batting 7 th and playing shortstop to give Tommy Edman a needed day off. I feel like collectively, as an organization, we were positive and patient through that process. 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. . I guess in the back of my mind, I felt like I wasn't fully there, DeJong said. Practically giddy over what they hoped they had developed, the Cardinals inked DeJong to a regrettable arbitration buy-out deal. Follow Katie on Twitter @katiejwoo, Cardinals optioned former All-Star shortstop. Im sorry this has happened. What went wrong for Paul DeJong in 2022? - stltoday.com Its a lot of F-dash-fill in the blank, Marmol said, referring to the scoring of the abundance of lazy flyouts that have resulted lately off DeJongs bat. Can we get him at-bats here? Marmol asked hypothetically. It was already a bit of a goofy night. Maybe they had a plan to fix him? I eased into it as time went on. In 14 innings, he surrendered just eight hits while striking out 15. 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. Holmes started the season with a prominent role in the Yankees' bullpen. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. 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. Burleson, DeJong homer, Mikolas pitches Cards past Giants Yesterday, in the 4th inning of a 2-0 game, Paul DeJong hit a 2-run homer to put the Memphis Redbirds up 4-0. The warning signs were there from the beginning. Given his recent struggles in previous years, there may not be a clear path back for the former slugger. Wainwright is scheduled to make a second rehab start with Springfield, which will come on the road at Wichita. He had been scheduled to return to action Tuesday, before experiencing the setback Monday morning trying to backhand a ground ball and simulate his throwing motion. Cardinals: What will Paul DeJong's role be for St. Louis after return (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) Paul DeJong was one of three St. Louis Cardinals players who began the 2023 season on the injured list.. DeJong has been dealing with a back issue, while Wilking Rodriguez is out with a shoulder issue and Adam Wainwright is recovering from a groin injury.. He finished the 2022 season with a poor .157 average. Cardinals: Paul DeJong - The Downfall We Should Have Seen Coming And even if he does, its possible that he has played his last game in a Cardinals uniform. Thats a recipe for the debacle we saw in 21 and 22 when the only thing that kept DeJong alive was very good defense, the memory of better days, and the contract he signed back when. DeJongs 20-day rehab stint was set to expire on Tuesday, but the team felt comfortable promoting him earlier because of his improved health and the groove he has been in at the plate. He has struck out 11 times, which is 26.8 percent of the time, and that is a number that is far too high. Have you recovered from your injury? Curt is a massive fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and MLB. Tommy Edman was shifted over to re-learn short and excelled there defensively. But he also had a 30% K rate. I love the Cardinals fans, the Cardinals organization, my coaches and teammates, DeJong said. USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Cardinals Insider Provides Positive Adam Wainwright Update. After struggling mightily immediately after his demotion, DeJong seems to have . Over his four starts this season, Flexen has allowed 22 hits and 15 runs in 17 1/3 innings. Thats pretty good for a 23-year-old shortstop. Paul DeJong Stats, News, Bio | ESPN In May, DeJong played just eight games for the Cardinals, batting .115 with a .297 OPS. If were being very honest, an 85-100 wRC+ player with some power and quality defense is about as good as we were going to get for a backup SS position. Video by Derrick Goold. Asked if he thinks hell be ready to play again before the Cardinals break camp, DeJong said probably not.. Marmol said that the Cardinals want to see where things stand towards the end of DeJongs rehab assignment to make an official decision on the matter, as well as the former All-Stars future with the organization. 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. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and originates from Northern California. DeJong had missed the last few games due to lower back tightness but was targeting a return to game action by Tuesday. The veteran infielder has recorded multiple hits in three of his five games this season and is slashing .471/.471/.941 through 21 plate appearances. In the process, hes outpitched Hudson considerably. He is then expected to advance through light throwing. He went three for four with a homer and no Ks. He and Tommy Edman were also taking reps at shortstop before batting practice. Our hope is that hell rejoin this club and be a productive member that we saw prior to the pandemic season.. ". DeJong went 3-for-4 with a home run against the Seattle Mariners on Monday in his first game back from a back injury to help the Cardinals score a 7-3 victory on the road. He gave up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings to the Cubs on April 11 and allowed four runs across six innings against the Brewers on April 17. He struck out three and threw a total of 59 pitches (40 strikes). Odds and lines subject to change. And it would backfire on him. Since hes been here, hes put together quality at-bats. His HR/FB rate was 25%. 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. It's more just execution, consistency and just fine-tuning stuff.". Paul DeJong hasnt had a season with a batting average better than .200 since 2020 when he hit .250. He was sent out as Brendan Donovans play began to demand a starters workload. You already know that DeJong scuffled to begin last season. Holmes unleashed a 95 mph sinker that caught a little too much of the plate. He wasnt guaranteed anything. Paul Sterling DeJong (born August 2, 1993) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Donovan and Corey Dickerson are the primary left-handed bench bats for now, and Juan Yepezs fantastic start to his career has limited Gormans opportunity to be strictly a designated hitter. 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.. And Paul Dejong has been what hes been for a while now. I'll explain more in a forthcoming story @TheAthleticSTL pic . The combination would be another collapse. Back from IL, Paul DeJong starts at shortstop as Cardinals close series vs. Mariners: First Pitch. This is a truth proven over and over again on a nightly basis, of course, in ways both subtle and obvious. Even over a small number of PAs. DeJong was the subject of much speculation in the offseason, but the club stuck with him as its starting shortstop entering the season. During the offseason, I argued that DeJong would likely be traded. He missed most of Spring Training with lower back discomfort. So I'm going to have to back off until I feel like I can flex my spine and rotate it. Still, Mozeliak is hesitant to act on an impulse without at least vetting other options. Check back in at stltoday.comthroughout the afternoon and evening for coverage of the game. To create space for DeJong on the 26-man roster, Taylor Motter was designated for assignment. Paul DeJong out with back pain, still looking to rebound - MLB What served as the deciding factor was the quality of DeJongs at-bats, which Marmol felt had not improved, and needing overall better production through the lineup. DeJong, whose return to the majors with the Cardinals looked to be in serious jeopardy for more than just fleeting moments, stepped to the plate against Holmes, whose career had taken off in 2022 beyond most anyones wildest imagination. 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. It wasnt looking any better, so we made the move.. His fast start in his return from the minors is reminiscent of 2022 when, following a nearly three-month-long demotion due to poor performance, DeJong cranked homers in consecutive days and went on a two-week bender (.646 slugging% and a 182 wRC+) before falling back into his old habits. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. 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. Will it last? Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Yes, he put more balls into play and his slash line was reminiscent of his more average MLB seasons. With 1.5 years left on his six-year, $26 million contract, it feels rather improbable that he sees extended time in the majors with St. Louis. He busted out quickly and then tanked again. Paul DeJong Rumors - MLB Trade Rumors And from a performance standpoint, hes been playing every day and responding well.. 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. He still hit a high percentage of his fly balls out of the park. Yes, he has a 118 wRC+. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Of the four hits he allowed, two here homers. Sent down to . 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. We know that he has changed his swing, simplified his approach at the plate, and had a big day ahead of his promotion. The Cardinals will send right-hander Jack Flaherty to the mound as they look to avoid a sweep vs. Seattle in the first leg of their three-city, west coast road trip. He replaced the high leg kick that he used early in his career with a more balanced stance, in which he keeps his weight back and barely lifts his foot. He has 1967 plate appearances of 92 wRC+ since his rookie season. And doing it against AAA pitchers is meaningless. Give DeJong some credit. I know things can change. Katie Woo is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the St. Louis Cardinals. Unfortunately, that's not the way things worked out.. Heres how Mozeliak and manager Oli Marmol answered: When the Cardinals embarked for Kansas City and San Francisco last week, there was already a heavy sense of pressure mounting on DeJong, who posted a mere .247 on-base percentage through the month of April. Its about sticking with things moment to moment. As a result, Taylor Motter was selected to be the Cardinals utility infielder out of spring training. DeJong smacked a two-run shot in the eighth inning and scored St. Louis' final run of the game in the ninth. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. 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 teams Florida complex reworking his approach at the plate. "I'm just really happy to be back here and contributing the way that I am.". DeJong, 29, will look to bounce back from a brutal 2022 season that saw him slash just .157/.245/.286 in 77 games that culminated in him getting optioned to Triple-A, where he spent 51 games in 2022. I'm not reinventing my pitches, or trying to change anything drastically with my arsenal. The Cardinals would prefer to stay away from using Gorman as a role player, unlike Donovan, Robertson and Lars Nootbaar. MLB home run leader Aaron Judge smashed a baseball with an exit velocity of 116.9 mph in the first inning, but he hit the ball right at St. Louis left fielder Tyler ONeill, who caught it and somehow avoided any broken fingers. 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. Five things I think: 1. DeJong is expected to join Memphis in Norfolk, Va., within a couple of days. 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. Paul DeJong, just three years after being an All-Star with the St. Louis Cardinals, is playing for the Memphis Redbirds, hoping to turn career around. Paul DeJong steps into opportunity he might have 'dreaded' before and DeJong's +1 DRS tells a slightly different story than his -3 . June 11th, 2021. I think that theres, fundamentally, things that are different, Mozeliak said, referencing defensive positioning on shifts and longer throws across the diamond. Jeff Chiu/AP Show More Show Less 2 of 9 St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson, right, is congratulated by Paul DeJong (11) after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In that start, Flaherty retired 10 consecutive batters from the second through the fifth innings. 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. He did not allow a single walk. Paul DeJong was one of three St. Louis Cardinals players who began the 2023 season on the injured list. During his rehab assignment, Paul DeJong (back) batted .302 and produced a .900 OPS in 12 games between Class Low-A and Class AAA. Thats Paul DeJong. (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. The Cardinals couldnt justify waiting any longer. So, back to Fridays game. In June, DeJong spent days, then weeks, then the entire month in the minors. Its hard for me to say that anything worked. Gambling Problem? That certainly didnt base that decision on performance. His K and BB rates fit those as well. Flexen comes into Sunday set to face an NL Central team for the third consecutive time. 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. Despite the All-Star appearance, and the 30-homer season. A native of Orlando, Florida, DeJong attended and played college baseball at Illinois State University (ISU). You would be hard-pressed to find two players following more divergent paths in the 2022 season. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who normally hits behind Goldschmidt, will bat behind Gorman. I have always wanted to make everyone proud and I plan on coming back stronger than ever.. Very exciting for an organization that hasnt had a power hitter at the position since well, ever. 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 . Thats the role DeJong is being asked to fill, even if hes being paid starters money. In July, DeJong was hit with a pitch and missed a few weeks. Before his back flared up, he was limited to hitting only during the first week of camp as he recovered from right arm soreness. 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. And even if he does, its possible that he has played his last game in a Cardinals uniform. The club needs a backup shortstop who can spell Edman against some righties without sacrificing much defense for a contact-oriented pitching staff. Taylor Motter, a non-roster invite who spent time with the Reds organization last year, could also be under consideration as the Cardinals look to pin down their Opening Day roster by next week. After that first hiccup, though, Holmes didnt allow a run the rest of the month. I thought hitting was good, but I wasn't in a flex spine position now I know I pushed it a little too far, so I need to back off.. DeJongs presence on the roster seems to illicit only extreme positions. THE COLD WIRE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COLD WIRE MEDIA. Get viral MLB graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Follow Katie on Twitter @katiejwoo, Cardinals roster projection 2.0: Who to watch with a week of spring training remaining, MLB spring training standouts: 10 young players who are impressing GMs, scouts. With a little more than two weeks remaining before St. Louis opens the regular season, DeJong is still sitting on 19 plate appearances and 13 at-bats in what was tabbed as a make-or-break Spring Training for him. 23 AAA: .353/.450/.618, with a 12.5% BB rate, a 30% K rate, and a 174 wRC+. ST. LOUIS What a major league baseball player was yesterday is not necessarily what he is today. Its probably a combination of all three. 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. Paul DeJong steps into opportunity he might have 'dreaded' before and delivers big hit for Cardinals vs. Yankees, Four candidates to be this October's Jorge Soler/Eddie Rosario-type playoff hero, Aaron Judge pushes ahead of Yankees legends with torrid home run pace heading into August, New York lands OF Bader for SP Montgomery, Cardinals bolster pitching staff in deadline deal with Pirates for Quintana. 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. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). What to do about Paul DeJong - Viva El Birdos 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. If Sosa doesnt seize the opportunity, Edman may be forced to slot over to shortstop and refine his skills on the fly. He went three for four with a homer and no Ks. He also hit just six home runs with 25 RBI across 77 games and 237 plate appearances. An outfield in flux. Its a revitalized feeling.. Paul DeJong moves his rehab assignment to Memphis Monday. Some fans want him DFAed and forgotten forever. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. 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. Or at least not worse. Flaherty has struck out 17 batters and walked 17 in 21 1/3 innings. His xBA (expected batting average) of .158 ranked in the bottom percent of the entire league. Hes considerably better against righties than lefties. He was selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB draft. Hes struck out just 11. There is data in those 40 PAs to fuel both sides. I know youll demand an opinion of me, so Ill offer this: the club needs DeJong to be playable. But were not going to take someone thats having the type of season he is and just like a light switch, move him over.. Tommy Edman will be the clubs starting shortstop this season, and while the Cardinals have a plethora of versatile infielders, DeJong was the most serviceable option at shortstop behind Edman. Despite his immediate impact on the Cardinals, its probably going to take some more time before he finds a solid role on the team, according to Cardinals outfielder Katie Woo. Willing to give DeJong another chance? However, the flashy rookie had his troubles with Verlander on Wednesday, striking out in each of his first two plate appearances. His 29.1 percent strikeout rate was in the 17th percentile and his hard-hit percentage (35.8) and barrel percentage (5.7) both ranked in the 30th percentile. RHP Chris Flexen (0-3, 7.79 ERA): Flexen comes into Sunday set to face an NL Central team for the third consecutive time. 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. DeJong talks about comeback with Cardinals in 2022 | ksdk.com He spent most of the offseason at the Cards' Florida complex reworking his swing, then he hit .154 with one homer and six walks across 19 plate appearances in Grapefruit League play. His breaking and offspeed rates soared. Winn, Wednesdays starter, is batting .276 with an .870 OPS this spring. Paul DeJong - Wikipedia The result was a league-average player with improving defense. 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. Marmol said the Cards have a plan that includes weight room work and conditioning exercises to ease Edman back into Spring Training following his 16-hour flight from Tokyo. dark. Paul DeJong was lost with St. Louis Cardinals and came to - Yahoo Thats not asking that much of him. Could Paul DeJong provide a 94 wRC+ or better against primarily right-handed pitchers while giving Edman time off to stay fresh defensively? That said, its hard to see another team taking on his contract considering his extensive struggles in the majors, and that would mean that DeJong being DFAd is the most likely scenario, barring him bouncing back in a big way and Gorman struggling in the majors. DeJong slugged .390 in 2021, compared with .286 this . But his offense was 20 percentage points below where he started. Donovan was in Tuesdays starting lineup at shortstop, becoming the first MLB player in the modern era (since 1900) to start at four different infield positions in the first four starts of his career. That season he managed a .194 IS0 but a wRC+ of just 85. Katie Woo is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the St. Louis Cardinals. 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. In AAA, his combined fly ball and infield fly ball rate was 65%. Youre never looking at rehabs solely on performance, but he has been playing well, Mozeliak said. His ERA at the end of April was a sparkling 0.84. In his return to the lineup, DeJong will hit ahead of rookie Jordan Walker, who got a day off on Saturday and is batting .271 with 11 RBIs in 19 games to start his MLB career. Yeah, it's not ideal, Marmol said after the Cards' 4-1 win over the Mets on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the injury to his back derailed him and cost him some time in Grapefruit League play. 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. I still believe in Tommy Edmans defense. In order for Gorman to be used effectively, he would need to also see ample reps at second base, a position he has played professionally for just over a year. Try to go the other way. Updated: 10:27 PM CDT August 8, 2022. Weve seen BABIP-fueled power surges from him before. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. And the Cardinals talked a lot about how he had to compete for his spot on the roster out of Spring Training. He is the winner of the 2019 All-Star award. When the St. Louis Cardinals optioned Paul DeJong to Triple-A Memphis, the domino effect immediately followed. Obviously, he worked really hard this offseason to address certain things with his swing. He had an unsustainable .349 BABIP, a well-below average 4.7% walk rate, and a 28% strikeout rate in 17. Infielder who was a fourth round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2015 MLB Draft. Prior to joining The Athletic, Katie spent two years covering the minor leagues as an editorial producer for MiLB.com and spent the 2018 MLB season covering the San Diego Padres as an associate reporter for MLB.com. Paul DeJong apologizes to fans for minor-league demotion (Last updated: April 18), Monday vs. San Francisco: LHP Jordan Montgomery (2-2, 4.84) vs. TBA, Tuesday vs. San Francisco: RHP Jake Woodford 1-2, 6.05) vs. TBA, Wednesday vs. San Francisco: LHP Steven Matz (0-3, 6.55) vs. TBA. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. In 18 and 19, DeJong showed some signs of maturity all while seeing his overall offensive production drop. But with Motter having recorded a hit in two of his first three games, DeJongs path back to the big leagues will not be devoid of adversity. He also dabbles in college hoops and other sports. His rookie-season production over a relatively small sample size hid disturbing flaws. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Cardinals Insider Provides Update On Paul DeJong For Marmol, both elements of DeJongs game carry equal weight. WASHINGTON -- Paul DeJong is back with the Cardinals, though not officially, yet. I cant do normal things right now, so it's definitely not playable. He hit more line drives than usual. He hit fewer fly balls. Which makes him a candidate to be traded or even designated for assignment. Rodriguez did not allow a hit or walk in the outing and needed just nine pitches (seven strikes) to complete the outing. Edman played shortstop in college and in the minor leagues and is comfortable either way., He is confident in his ability to play short, Marmol said.
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