Joshua Baez took no time to announce his presence upon making his MLB debut, but St. Louis Cardinals fans will have to wait until 2027 to see him again as his late-season injured list placement will mark the end of his 2026 campaign.
Baez, who experienced a left oblique strain this week, was placed on the 10-day IL, but given the timing of the placement, he will not be elgible to return to game action this year. The injury does not appear to be anything serious and should not hinder his work this offseason or his ability to make a run at the 2027 National League Rookie of the Year award.
Baez will finish his first taste of big league action with a .230/.278/.510 slash line, slugging seven home runs with 14 total extra-base hits, 18 RBI, and 18 runs in just 108 plate appearances. His 112 wRC+ was a really nice showing from a 23-year-old seeing if he belongs, and hopefully it will lead to an even more confident approach next season.
Baez's injury alongside the return of JJ Wetherholt has created some more roster movement that is worth noting.
Cardinals News: Ramon Urias was officially released as Cesar Prieto rejoins active roster
When Wetherholt was activated from the injured list this week, the Cardinals decided to designate infielder Ramon Urias for assignment, and that move has officially led to Urias' release today.
It was an odd year for Urias, who the Cardinal signed prior to the season to provide infield depth early on for them. Urias landed on the injured list in May with tennis elbow, and then during his rehab assignment, had the same issue pop up in his other arm. Urias only ended up appearing in 43 games for St. Louis, posting a .151/.260/.326 slash line with four home runs in 100 plate appearances.
With Baez going on the injured list and a release granted to Urias to give him a head start on free agency, the Cardinals called up infielder Cesar Prieto for one more shot with the Major League club. Prieto, 27, is likely on his last show with the Cardinals this week, as he has just three hits in 41 plate appearances with St. Louis over the last two years and has not been good enough defensively. Prieto is a likely DFA candidate this offseason as the Cardinals do their offseason shopping.
Losing Urias and likely Prieto will clear the way for the Cardinals to introduce other infielders to their mix. Right now, Wetherholt, Masyn Winn, Alec Burleson, and Thomas Saggese are expected to be the starting infield, barring a move for a third baseman, and guys like Jose Fermin and Blaze Jordan could factor in as well. Nolan Gorman is unlikely to be back with the club next year as well.
The Cardinals have two open spots on their 40-man roster at the moment, but Max Rajcic will count against their 40-man roster again during the offseason since he is currently on the 60-day injured list, unless they choose to pass him through waivers.
