ST. LOUIS (AP) The St. Louis Cardinals have placed Michael Wacha on
the 15-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation, a day after
his latest start, and purchased the contract of top prospect Alex
Reyes from Triple-A Memphis.
Reyes will pitch out of the bullpen. General Manager John Mozeliak
said Tuesday another highly touted prospect, Luke Weaver, will
likely make Wacha’s scheduled start Saturday and a corresponding
roster move would be made then.
”It’s an honor to put this uniform on,” Reyes said. ”I don’t
know what it will feel like once I step out there, but I’m sure it
will be fun.”
To make room for Reyes, catcher Brayan Pena (left knee) was
transferred from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL.
The 21-year-old Reyes started for the World Team at the Futures
Game during All-Star week and is 2-3 with a 4.96 ERA in 14 starts
and 93 strikeouts in 65 1-3 innings. The start of his season was
delayed by a 50-game suspension after testing positive for
marijuana use.
”One of the most impressive things for me is the statements he
made and the conversation he had with all the young players in
extended spring and talked about some of the decisions he made and
the repercussions of those and then getting to work to try to put
that behind him and moving forward,” manager Mike Matheny said.
”That’s a lot of growing up for a 21-year-old to do in one year.”
Reyes is 20-21 with a 3.50 ERA in 69 career minor league starts. He
has hit triple digits on the radar gun, but the key for Reyes will
be control.
”When you’re putting guys on base, the game teaches you pretty
quick that that’s not going to work,” Matheny said. ”He gets it.
”He’s only 21, but he’s still been around long enough to know what
we’re looking for around here. We need him to be in the strike
zone.”
Wacha is 7-7 with a 4.45 ERA. He allowed four runs in five innings
and got no decision in a 5-4 come-from-behind victory on Monday.
”He’s definitely been struggling with command for some time and if
there was a correlation between the two, it’s been going on for
quite a while,” Mozeliak said. ”But in terms of us feeling like
it was time to get him looked at, I certainly felt after last
night’s outing that that made sense.”
The injury is similar to the one the prematurely ended Wacha’s 2014
season.
Weaver, 22, spent most of this season at Double-A Springfield, but
pitched six scoreless innings in his Triple-A debut on Monday.
”I feel like the ability to throw strikes in games, I do think
that’s important,” Mozeliak said. ”He only had one start in
Triple-A, but I do feel like he will give us a chance to win that
ball game.”
###
Copyright © 2016
TTWN Media Networks Inc.