The St. Louis Cardinals have officially parted ways with veteran reliever.
St. Louis began the process over the weekend when the club announced that Brycen Mautz had been called up to the major leagues, while Ferguson was designated for assignment. However, being designated for assignment does not automatically mean a player’s time with the organization has come to an end.
Once a player is designated for assignment, the other 29 MLB clubs have the opportunity to claim him off waivers. If no team submits a claim, the player can be outrighted to the minor leagues. Depending on a player’s service time and contract status, he may also have the option to reject the assignment and become a free agent.
In Ferguson’s case, however, the Cardinals chose a different path. St. Louis officially released the left-handed reliever on Sunday, bringing his time with the organization to an end. The transaction was subsequently recorded in MLB’s official transaction log.
St. Louis Is Moving On
The Cardinals acquired Caleb Ferguson from the Cincinnati Reds shortly before the 2026 trade deadline, sending $250,000 in international bonus pool money in return. However, his stint in St. Louis was brief. Ferguson appeared in only nine games for the Cardinals before being designated for assignment and ultimately released.
During those nine appearances, Ferguson struggled significantly, posting an 8.64 ERA while recording nine strikeouts and eight walks over 8â…“ innings.
Ferguson arrived in St. Louis around the same time the Cardinals traded JoJo Romero to the Milwaukee Brewers. With Romero departing, the Cardinals viewed Ferguson as a potential left-handed replacement in the bullpen.
Despite his struggles with St. Louis, Ferguson could attract interest from other clubs. The veteran left-hander has eight years of MLB experience and has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds and Cardinals.
Across his major league career, Ferguson owns a 3.80 ERA in 368 appearances, showing that his recent struggles do not define his entire career. His best season came with the Dodgers in 2022, when he posted a 1.82 ERA with a 37-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 34â…” innings.
For St. Louis, Ferguson’s departure leaves an already troubled bullpen with another hole to fill. The Cardinals have struggled to find consistency from their relief corps throughout the season, and Romero’s injury only made the situation more difficult. Unfortunately, Ferguson wasn’t able to provide the stability the team needed.
Now, Ferguson will look for another opportunity as a free agent, while the Cardinals continue searching for answers in the bullpen. Reports have also suggested that Hancel Rincón could join the major league club on September 1, potentially giving St. Louis another option as it looks to strengthen its pitching staff.
