Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy warms up on a practice field on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, during spring training at the team鈥檚 facility in Jupiter, Fla.
With each passing cameo appearance in the majors and the inevitable return to the minors his role requires, the Cardinals hope that Michael McGreevy hears the same message.
鈥淗e knows he belongs,鈥 manager Oliver Marmol said.
Eventually, that means he鈥檒l stay.
The Cardinals are calling on McGreevy again Tuesday to make a spot start and assure the rotation all around him gets an added day of rest. It will be McGreevy鈥檚 third start of the season, and two of them will have come against the Chicago Cubs and reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Wedged in between was last week鈥檚 sudden start against the Chicago White Sox that began with a pre-dawn wake-up call to catch a sunrise flight from Memphis, Tennessee, to Chicago. Despite conceding he felt 鈥済assed,鈥 McGreevy spun five innings and struck out five in a win. And then he returned to Memphis to await the promotion this week.
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鈥淛ust really good self-awareness, but also honest communication has allowed for him to have a really good understanding of what his future looks like,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淗e is not guessing. He knows we like him. He knows he belongs. But what鈥檚 best for the big picture right now is this. At some point, that will change.鈥
Around his three previous big league appearances and two starts, McGreevy has gone 7-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 12 starts for the Triple-A Redbirds.
He鈥檚 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in the majors.
What he鈥檚 done in both places is build upon an impressive spring and show more ways to attack the left-handed batters lined up to challenge him. McGreevy has done of that with his pitch usage 鈥 increasing the use of his cutter and slider and targeting the use of his sinker.
鈥淪ometimes you can be told what鈥檚 best or how to best use your stuff against certain handedness,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter unless you鈥檙e convicted behind doing it. He has seen some of the results that have come from changing his usage, and he鈥檚 convicted behind what that looks like now.鈥
The Cardinals identified Tuesday as their next time to utilize McGreevy as a sixth starter, and off-days ahead mean they may downshift soon after. A rainout this past week in Chicago gave McGreevy the unplanned start, and he made the most of it despite not have the best of his stuff, he said. After the game he said it was a day with difficult travel to meet a need in the majors and 鈥渙ne of those outings you have to put your head down and grind.鈥
That would also describe his season.
For now.
Graceffo move reveals O鈥橞rien鈥檚 rise
The Cardinals鈥 carousel in the bullpen spun again Monday as they returned Gordon Graceffo to Class AAA Memphis in exchange for a fresh arm, right-hander Roddery Munoz. His stay could be brief as the Cardinals will need a spot for McGreevy on Tuesday.
The move means that both Graceffo and Andre Granillo, two right-handers who have done well in the majors, will not be available for around two weeks due to roster rules, unless there is an injury or doubleheader.
That speaks to the team鈥檚 growing trust in Riley O鈥橞rien.
Coming out of the bullpen, the right-hander is second in high-octane velocity to closer Ryan Helsley, and O鈥橞rien has touched 99 mph consistently. He also has some of the best strikeout stuff 鈥 whiffing six of the 22 batters he鈥檚 faced over the past 6 2/3 innings.
Graceffo pitched two scoreless innings Sunday against the Reds, and Marmol explained that any use of the right-hander Monday would push him into more appearances in fewer days than he鈥檚 ever done. That made the roster necessary in the team鈥檚 eyes for protection.
鈥淏y having that extra arm 鈥 that Graceffo spot, if we throw him today (it鈥檚) throwing another 35-40 pitches, and that would be three out of four,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not something he鈥檚 done. That is not something he needs to do in June at the big league level for the first time. Is it ideal? No. You鈥檙e not in the big leagues. I feel we鈥檝e rotated that spot in a way that has been meaningful for the big picture in a really positive way this year.鈥
Cards lag behind in All-Star support
In Monday鈥檚 update on fan voting for the All-Star Game, Cardinals candidates slid in their support at individual positions 鈥 or did not appear at all in the top vote-getters. Brendan Donovan continues to rank highest for Cardinals. He鈥檚 fifth at second base with 525,923 votes, behind leader Ketel Marte (1,561,235) and runner-up Tommy Edman (1,059,174). Herrera ranks No. 7 at designated hitter, Nolan Arenado ninth at third base, and Masyn Winn is 10th at shortstop.
The Cardinals do not have a catcher or outfielder who cracked the top 10 or 20, respectively, at the position. Alec Burleson, a leading hitter for the Cardinals, does not appear on the ballot. Fans must write him in.
The 95th Midsummer Classic will be held July 15 at Atlanta鈥檚 Truist Park, and based on the voting trends, the Cardinal(s) headed to the game will be selected by his peers.
Former Cardinals Paul Goldschmidt, now the Yankees鈥 first baseman, and current Cubs catcher Carson Kelly have received the second-most votes at their positions.
Cubs notes: Imanaga and more
One of the top pitchers in the division entering this season, lefty Shoto Imanaga will return to the Cubs rotation Thursday in the series finale against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Imanaga started the year 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts before missing almost eight weeks with a left hamstring injury. Imanaga made three rehab appearances in the minors in preparation.
The Cubs set their rotation for the series with James Taillon (7-4, 3.84) announced the starter for Tuesday鈥檚 game and Matthew Boyd (6-3, 2.84) announced as Wednesday鈥檚 starter.
The Cubs also promoted former All-Star Michael Fulmer on Monday to fortify the bullpen. Fulmer, the AL鈥檚 Rookie of the Year in 2016 as a starter for Detroit, had a 2.96 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings for the Cubs鈥 Class AAA Iowa affiliate. Reliever Porter Hodge (hip impingement) joined the Cubs in 最新杏吧原创 after retiring one of eight batters he faced in a rehab appearance Friday. Craig Counsell said the team 鈥渨ill figure out鈥 when he鈥檚 active.
Herrera, etc.
Ivan Herrera (hamstring) was on the field hours before first pitch going through some light movement drills. He has not been inactive in the days since going on the 10-day injured list with a Grade II tear in his hamstring. He has been able to work out in the weight room and be active, though his recovery is still measured in weeks and potentially a month.
- Class AAA Memphis鈥 infielder Jose Fermin and lefty Quinn Mathews won the International League鈥檚 player and pitcher of the week awards, respectively. Fermin hit .550 with two homers and a 1.633 on-base plus slugging percentage. Mathews struck out six in five scoreless innings in his one-hitter.
