And those pitches will be on the black in challenge counts and with incredible break and spin. 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. His homerun per flyball rate was 23.9% a high rate built on offense-oriented minor league ballparks and developing pitchers with sketchy command. He went three for four with a homer and no Ks. Why was Robertson called up and not top prospect Nolan Gorman? Void in ONT. We wont send you spam. And from a performance standpoint, hes been playing every day and responding well.. "I'm just really happy to be back here and contributing the way that I am.". 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 . If you don't, you might want to follow his lead. He was finally called back up at the end of July and homered in each of his first two games before going 1 for 9 in the three-game set against the Cubs to open August. Instead, the expectation is Gorman will face off against right-handed starting pitching, either as the designated hitter or at second base. He wasnt guaranteed anything. I'm not reinventing my pitches, or trying to change anything drastically with my arsenal. @ JohnDenton555. If Woodfords performance is any indication, it shouldn't be him. 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. He cut down on his Ks in 18 and 19. 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. After an All-Star season in 2019, DeJongs offensive performance has slipped steadily over the last three years. Thats worrisome. From 20-22, DeJongs whiffs rose. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. St. Louis will prepare to be without DeJong for at least a couple of weeks. 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. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Then, when Sosa was moved, DeJong returned to the majors to give it another go. 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. Some fans want him DFAed and forgotten forever. He has 813 plate appearances of 77 wRC+ this decade. The hope is that the move to Triple A will alleviate some of the pressure that had been accumulating since late last season, when DeJong lost his starting job to Edmundo Sosa. He finally had one hiccup outing but cruised into the break with a 1.31 ERA. But the math wasnt going to work. Cardinals Option Paul DeJong To Triple-A, Select Kramer Robertson DeJongs presence on the roster seems to illicit only extreme positions. Ryan Fagan, the national MLB writer for The Sporting News, has been a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You have permission to edit this article. Get viral MLB graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. He missed most of Spring Training with lower back discomfort. Which makes him a candidate to be traded or even designated for assignment. Then we want him to get into a routine that hes comfortable and that he believes in.. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and originates from Northern California. He will be reevaluated after that start and would be considered for a return to the majors. 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. DeJong talks about comeback with Cardinals in 2022 | ksdk.com 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. MORE:Cardinals bolster pitching staff in deadline deal with Pirates for Quintana. 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. Follow Katie on Twitter @katiejwoo, Cardinals optioned former All-Star shortstop. 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.. The righty is expected to throw around 75 pitches in the outing. We feel pretty good about what Tommys doing at second at the moment, but (shortstop) is not out of the question.. Paul DeJong was at bat for the home club. Brendan Donovan who won the first-ever National League utility Gold Glove last year, is now the most likely to fill the void. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. I fully commend DeJong for trying something new and for his willingness to put in the work to change. Believing in my stuff, and knowing that it's small tweaks at this point. It was already a bit of a goofy night. What will happen when he starts seeing even more breaking and offspeed pitches than in the past? He also hit just six home runs with 25 RBI across 77 games and 237 plate appearances. 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. He also dabbles in college hoops and other sports. I knew if I did my job down there, I would get a chance back up here. An outfield in flux. Paul Sterling DeJong (born August 2, 1993) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). For Marmol, both elements of DeJongs game carry equal weight. What went wrong for Paul DeJong in 2022? - stltoday.com Obviously, its still very early in the season. Or at least not worse. In his career, DeJong has shown reverse splits. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. 2023 COLD WIRE MEDIA. Instead, DeJong has spent the spring hampered by minor injuries. He made his MLB debut in May 2017 and was named July's NL Rookie of the Month that same season. Or if it was just the natural evolution of DeJongs swing. This game is about production, Mozeliak said. But it would make this club better. The shortstop, who was demoted to Triple-A last year following two-plus seasons of hitting struggles, homered in his first game back with the Cardinals on July 30. 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. Even over a small number of PAs. He made his MLB debut in 2017. Have you recovered from your injury? 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. Updated: 10:27 PM CDT August 8, 2022. Cardinals Insider Provides Update On Paul DeJong The former All-Star shortstop is currently on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis. Depending on the quality of that player, the Cardinals would have at best broken even and likely would have had to add payroll to make the trade and cover their butts positionally. Stream: https://t.co/JyFc2efJXn pic.twitter.com/8QgBfaVWr9, "DeJong put a great swing on one and really hurt him, obviously," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game. Even though the past can provide hints and suggestions as to what might happen, the past does not absolutely dictate the future. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. They will change a bat. Dodgers third. 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. Ranking the 10 worst contracts in the National League Central. Arenado and ONeill scored, and the Cardinals suddenly led 4-3. This is a truth proven over and over again on a nightly basis, of course, in ways both subtle and obvious. Nolan Arenado (infield single) was on second base, Tyler ONeill (walk) was on first. Yes, he has a 118 wRC+. So whats next for DeJong? The righty is expected to throw around 75 pitches in the outing. I think hes had a lot of voices in his ear and we need to simplify that, Mozeliak said. Those realities hid trouble coming. Following an injury- and illness-filled 2020, DeJong clubbed 19 home runs in '21, but he lost his starting job to Edmundo Sosa. Cardinals: Paul DeJong - The Downfall We Should Have Seen Coming The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong talks with the media at the Winter Warm-Up. The organization was patient: In 2020 he suffered a bout of COVID-19 during the already-condensed pandemic season, and in 2021 broke a rib after being hit by a pitch in mid-May. His rookie-season production over a relatively small sample size hid disturbing flaws. The . His highest HR/FB% in the majors 19.8% came during his rookie year. Remove a leg kick. Making his caseA day after Dakota Hudson took a step backward in the battle for the Cardinals sixth starter/swingman job, right-hander Jake Woodford may have sealed his case to head north with the team in that spot. After struggling mightily immediately after his demotion, DeJong seems to have . 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. dark. Paul DeJong is back. I dont think its a bad thing for him to pull the ball more. I think that theres, fundamentally, things that are different, Mozeliak said, referencing defensive positioning on shifts and longer throws across the diamond. THE COLD WIRE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COLD WIRE MEDIA. 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. RHP Chris Flexen (0-3, 7.79 ERA): Flexen comes into Sunday set to face an NL Central team for the third consecutive time. I would argue that outside of his often-cited, never duplicated rookie season, his former production levels arent all that exciting. I believe he (or someone like him) has a necessary role to play on this club. In the process, hes outpitched Hudson considerably. I dont know if that was a strategic decision. Its a revitalized feeling.. All while providing solid-to-good defense himself? 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. Tommy Edman was shifted over to re-learn short and excelled there defensively. The hope is that DeJong can hit the reset button in multiple facets of his game; one being from a production standpoint and the other stemming from changing his mentality. Paul DeJong apologizes to Cardinals fans for minor-league - MSN He started to hit home runs with much more regularity, though, including six in a nine-game stretch that also included 18 RBIs. You already know that DeJong scuffled to begin last season. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Long story short, the Cardinals decided early in the offseason that they wanted DeJong to make the team. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. We know that he has changed his swing, simplified his approach at the plate, and had a big day ahead of his promotion. Our hope is that hell rejoin this club and be a productive member that we saw prior to the pandemic season.. 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. The 29-year-old baseball player was born in Orlando, Florida, USA. Paul DeJong News - RotoWire Pitchers stopped throwing him (and other hitters like him) fastballs. His K and BB rates fit those as well. He and Tommy Edman were also taking reps at shortstop before batting practice. Paul DeJong - Age, Bio, Personal Life, Family & Stats - CelebsAges Holmes started the season with a prominent role in the Yankees' bullpen. At least not very often. 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. 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. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Pauly D gives the #STLCards the lead with a two-run double! He ended up with just 40 PAs at Memphis. After an All-Star season in 2019, DeJong's offensive performance has slipped steadily over the last three years. Try to pull the ball more. The journeyman Motter, who has opened eyes with his versatility and power this spring, is the only member of that group capable of playing the middle infield.
