The Cardinals are planning to designate left-handed reliever Genesis Cabrera for task as we speak, reviews Katie Woo of The Athletic. They’ll have every week to commerce him or try to go him by outright waivers as soon as the transfer is official.
Cabrera, 26, posted a pointy 3.41 ERA in 92 1/3 innings with the Playing cards from 2020-21, however he’s by no means displayed even common command on the MLB degree and has struggled over the previous two seasons. Courting again to Opening Day 2022, the southpaw carries a 4.82 ERA with a below-average 20.8% strikeout charge and far higher-than-average 11.3% stroll charge. Cabrera’s heater averaged 97.9 mph throughout 2021, arguably his peak season, however that velocity is down two miles per hour from that degree in 2023, sitting at 95.9 mph. He’s additionally been extraordinarily home-run inclined relationship again to final 12 months, averaging 1.64 dwelling runs per 9 innings pitched.
Even with the downturn in velocity and pedestrian strikeout charge over the previous two seasons, there’s nonetheless some motive to consider Cabrera is able to extra. Averaging roughly 96 mph from the left aspect is of be aware, even when that’s down from peak ranges, and Cabrera sports activities a really sturdy 13.6% swinging-strike charge this season. He’s additionally induced chases off the plate at an above-average 32.6% clip. There’s little doubt that Cabrera has intriguing uncooked stuff, and one other group might have a special plan to maximise his arsenal.
Past his energy repertoire, Cabrera is reasonably priced ($950K wage in 2023), controllable and has a minor league choice remaining. He entered the present season with simply over three years of Main League service time, so he could be managed by the 2025 marketing campaign. He’s unlikely to fetch a significant worth in a commerce, however one other membership might view him as an attention-grabbing buy-low candidate who might contribute not simply this 12 months however for an additional two seasons.
Cabrera’s DFA figures to be the primary of a broad-reaching slate of roster modifications for the Cardinals within the subsequent few weeks. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak has already instructed that the 2024 season shall be his focus at this 12 months’s deadline, and the Playing cards are anticipated to on the very least store rental gamers like Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, Jordan Hicks, Paul DeJong and Chris Stratton. Broader-reaching modifications are potential — the Playing cards have a glut of MLB-ready outfielders, as an example — however the Cardinals aren’t anticipated to commerce core gamers and have given no indication {that a} larger-scale teardown is coming because of this 12 months’s disastrous season.
