Cardinals news: Matt Belisle to DL

Just when you thought it was safe to exhale, along comes another St. Louis Cardinal onto the disabled list.

The Cardinals lost reliever Matt Belisle to the 15-day DL on Tuesday due to inflammation in his right elbow, thinning the team’s relief ranks.

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Although Belisle has not had many chances to earn stats, 12 holds in 30 appearances and a 3.00 ERA is nothing to sneeze at.

According to St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Derrick Goold, the official diagnosis was inflammation. The article did not give a timetable for his return, although elbow issues tend to be touchy.

In addition, the team transferred reliever Jordan Walden to the 60-day disabled list and promoted reliever Marcus Hatley to the parent club.

Keep an eye on Hatley. He had a 1.69 ERA in the minors and 37 1/3 innings pitched. He could be insurance in the event Trevor Rosenthal goes down with an injury. At the very worst, he’s another arm in the bullpen.

Steve’s take: This injury could thin the relief ranks a bit, but Hatley is the wild card. If he comes out swinging before the All-Star break, the pitching corps will look good. Belisle’s loss will be keenly felt, as he served as part of a bridge to Rosenthal.