The St. Louis Cardinals made another bullpen adjustment on Monday.
They’ve been juggling their relief pitching staff all season, and those efforts have ramped up even more following the trades of Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton. Despite those departures, the team has managed to adapt and kept tweaking the roster.
On Monday, the Cardinals announced that right-hander Gordon Graceffo has been called back up to the majors, while 25-year-old pitcher is being optioned to Triple-A with the Memphis Redbirds.
“RHP Gordon Graceffo has been recalled from Memphis (AAA),” the Cardinals announced. “RHP Andre Granillo has been optioned to Memphis.”
The Cardinals continue to get looks at young guys down the stretch
Gordon Graceffo has made 17 appearances in the majors this season, posting a 5.81 ERA with a 26-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 31 innings. While the results haven’t been ideal, there are positives—his fastball velocity ranks in the 70th percentile, showing he’s got electric stuff, even if he hasn’t quite put it all together at the big-league level. He’s shown better form in Triple-A Memphis, where he holds a 3.77 ERA across 24 outings.
Andre Granillo, meanwhile, has pitched in 12 major league games, recording a 4.82 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 7 walks over 18 2/3 innings. Like Graceffo, he’s been more effective in the minors, boasting an impressive 1.50 ERA in 24 appearances with Memphis.
Despite trading away key arms like Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, and Steven Matz, the Cardinals’ bullpen has held up surprisingly well. While not flawless, the relief corps has performed better than expected, and the frequent roster shuffling is likely to continue. With about five weeks left before Chaim Bloom officially steps in and ushers in a new era for the organization, St. Louis seems focused on evaluating its younger arms for the future.
Whether Graceffo or Granillo can be trusted bullpen pieces beyond 2025 remains to be seen—but the team clearly intends to find out.
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