MLB Player News

Vines was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Monday.

Vines has tossed five scoreless innings this spring, which gives you an idea what his odds of earning a roster spot were coming into camp. He'll be part of Gwinnett's rotation and should make some starts for Atlanta in 2024.

Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Monday.

Hernandez made four appearances with the big club last season and also had one NLDS outing, but he's one of the team's first cuts this spring. The 27-year-old reliever could still wind up spending a good amount of time in the Atlanta bullpen this season.

Dodd was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Monday.

Dodd is a good bet to make some starts with the big club this season, but as things stand right now there's no room for him. The left-hander held a 7.60 ERA over seven starts with Atlanta last season.

Anderson (elbow) was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Monday.

Anderson will be sidelined until around midseason while working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Unfortunately for him, he was injured while in the minors, which means he can be optioned rather than placed on the 60-day injured list and earn a major-league paycheck.

Scott has gone 3-for-15 with three walks, a triple and two stolen bases over six Grapefruit League games.

Scott's speed has allowed him to log four runs as well despite the Cardinals' relatively anemic spring offense. The 23-year-old combined for 95 stolen bases over 132 games between High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield in 2023, with speed being his No. 1 trait. He also has a good hit tool and reliable plate discipline. Scott will need to be tested at Triple-A Memphis first, but a 2024 debut is not out of the question, while a larger major-league role is expected to come in 2025 -- unless he forces the issue with his bat.

Burleson has gone 6-for-17 over seven Grapefruit League games.

Burleson has two RBI, one run scored and a walk this spring. The 25-year-old outfielder shed some weight in the offseason to improve his defense -- he struggled in the outfield particularly, but lacks an everyday path to playing time at first base or designated hitter due to Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman being the likely starters at those positions. A lefty hitter, Burleson could push to be the Cardinals' fourth outfielder, which is more likely to happen if Tommy Edman (wrist) begins 2024 on the injured list.

Villar was removed from Monday's Cactus League contest against the Rockies after being hit on the left hand by a pitch, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Villar was struck by a Peter Lambert offering in the sixth inning and walked off the field with the trainer. This could just be a precaution since his day was likely close to over, anyway, but it's unclear at this point whether he might require X-rays.

Gorman has gone 2-for-13 with a double, six strikeouts and a walk over five Grapefruit League games.

Gorman struck out at a 31.9 percent clip in 2023, so it's not unusual to see him whiffing a lot. He's still expected to have a starting role in the Cardinals' lineup, likely at designated hitter, but he could also split time with utility man Brendan Donovan at second base with Tommy Edman (wrist) likely to be in center field once he's ready to play. Gorman has slugged 41 homers over 208 career games, offering solid power while being an anchor on batting average.

Romero has allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out three over three Grapefruit League innings.

Romero is a candidate to be a key southpaw in the Cardinals' bullpen this season, but he'll need to navigate the control issues popping up in spring games. He had three saves, three holds and two blown saves while pitching to a career-best 3.68 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 36.2 innings last year. Romero's chances for saves are slim -- he's at best fourth in the pecking order -- but he could be a solid late-innings guy if he can get the walk rate back in order.

King has allowed five runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out two over three Grapefruit League innings.

King's already a longshot for high-leverage work, and his early results in spring won't help his cause. The southpaw is a groundball specialist who saw some late-inning work with 12 holds in 35 appearances between the Rangers and the Cardinals last season. He'll need to show solid control and limit opponents to weak contact to have success.