Kim will remain in the closer role for the time being irrespective of the vacancy in the starting rotation created by the forearm injury to Miles Mikolas, and despite Giovanny Gallegos' activation Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. "We made a move to put [Kim] in the back end of the bullpen," manager Mike Shildt said. "We did that because we have confidence in him, and [Daniel] Ponce [de Leon] is built up and ready to take that responsibility. So there's a number of factors into it, but that's the way we went."
Kim had been a finalist for the fifth starter's spot that went to Carlos Martinez, but even with Mikolas now out for the season, the first-year Cardinal will remain in a relief role, and the highest-leverage one at that despite Gallegos' availability. The southpaw has been used just once this season, converting a save chance Opening Night against the Pirates despite allowing an earned run on two hits. Despite the commitment to Kim for the moment, Shildt also reminded reporters that everything in the baseball world is "literally day by day right now" and that he therefore couldn't be certain how the team's starting rotation would evolve in coming weeks.