The St. Louis Cardinals made a pair of roster moves Wednesday before wrapping up their three-game series against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals designated infielder Ramón UrÃas and right-handed pitcher for assignment, clearing the way for the return of promising young second baseman JJ Wetherholt.
Wetherholt was reinstated from the injured list after missing time because of ongoing wrist discomfort. The 24-year-old has been an important part of St. Louis’ young core this season, entering Wednesday with a .242 batting average, 17 home runs and 48 RBIs over 130 games.
UrÃas’ departure comes after a difficult season. The Cardinals signed the veteran infielder to a one-year, $2 million contract during the offseason, but he missed more than three months because of right elbow lateral epicondylitis.
When healthy, UrÃas struggled to establish himself offensively. He batted just .151/.260/.326 with four home runs and nine RBIs in 43 games for St. Louis this season. He has previously spent most of his MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles and also appeared briefly for the Houston Astros.
Strzelecki’s time with the Cardinals also appears to be coming to an end. St. Louis signed the right-hander to a minor-league contract in July after he was released by the Milwaukee Brewers.
He eventually appeared in 14 innings for the Cardinals, posting a 5.79 ERA. Strzelecki has four seasons of major-league experience and owns a career 3.78 ERA across 97 2/3 innings with the Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians and Cardinals.
Both players will now go through the waiver process, giving other teams an opportunity to claim them.
The moves came as the Cardinals prepared for the series finale against San Francisco. St. Louis won Monday’s opener 2-1 before the Giants responded with a 10-3 victory Tuesday.
With Wetherholt back in the lineup, the Cardinals are hoping the young infielder can provide a boost as the club continues to evaluate its roster and prepare for the future.
