SEATTLE — In a series of moves finalized Monday afternoon, the Cardinals activated Alec Burleson from the injured list with an intent to put him in the lineup and they promoted a lefty reliever who is one year removed from being released, two removed from a spin through independent ball.
The Cardinals added Nick Raquet to the 40-player roster and promoted him to the big-league bullpen ahead of a series against Seattle.
Raquet, 29, gives the Cardinals a second lefty, a strategic option they've had only sporadically over the past month.
Burleson, their leading hitter in several categories, rejoins the team on the first day he is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list. The left-handed hitting outfielder and first baseman used the previous 10 days to recover from recurring wrist soreness.
Raquet spent the 2023 season with the York Revolution in the independent Atlantic League. As a starter for York, the lefty went 13-7 with a 3.71 ERA and more strikeouts (133) than hits allowed (129) in 144 2/3 innings. That offseason, he signed a minor-league deal with the Cardinals and spent most of the next summer at Class AAA Memphis as a swing man, making six starts and 21 appearances in relief.
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Released at the end of the 2024 season, Raquet re-signed with the Cardinals in January of this past year and split the season between Class AA Springfield and more time with the Triple-A Redbirds. He spent this year working exclusively out of the bullpen and had a 1.68 ERA in 48 1/3 innings overall.
For the Double-A S-Cards, Raquet had a 0.77 ERA and an 8-1 record with 38 strikeouts in 35 innings.
To make room on the 40-player roster, the Cardinals designated Garrett Hampson for assignment, a move that was reported Sunday afternoon in the Cardinals Extra at StlToday.com. The Cardinals also optioned reliever Andre Granillo to Class AAA Memphis to clear a spot on the active roster for Raquet. Hampson's removal from the roster created the spot for the Burleson.
The Cardinals will open the three-game series at T-Mobile Park on Monday night with 27 members of their 28-player roster active.
Willson Contreras will return to the lineup Tuesday after serving his four-game suspension and missing the past weekend against the Giants.Â
There will be more on this developing story at .
The payoff for the Cardinals’ patience and attempt to avoid the injured list for reliever Riley O’Brien was his presence in the ninth inning of two wins this past weekend.
The Cardinals won the series to return to .500 but needed all of the traits they've leaned on this season —bullpen, defense, timely offense, Gray — to edge Giants, 4-3.
The outfielder ended an 0-for-25 skid with his first-pitch double in the ninth inning that sent the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory against the Giants on Saturday.Â
“I think Whiteyball would take over this game right now," says one former 1985 Cardinals great. This weekend highlighted styles that win in 51ºÚÁÏ and how current club can recapture it.
