Cardinals option struggling reliever for much-needed bullpen reinforcement

After beginning the 2025 season 3-0 and giving fans hope of a brighter year ahead, the St. Louis Cardinals are 2-7 in their last nine games and are struggling for answers when it comes to their pitching staff.

As of April 9th, the Cardinals rank 30th in baseball in team ERA (5.24), struggling to prevent runs while the offense produces like one of the best in baseball. While both the rotation and the bullpen have room for improvement, the Cardinals finally made a roster move to bolster their relief corps for this weekend.

The Cardinals have optioned Chris Roycroft to Triple-A and recalled Roddery Munoz

On Thursday, the Cardinals optioned right-handed reliever Chris Roycroft to Triple-A Memphis and recalled right-handed reliever Roddery Munoz to join their bullpen for the home series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Cardinals claimed Munoz off of waivers from the Miami Marlins this winter and he will make his debut with the club when he first appears in a game. Munoz saw time as both a starter and reliever for Miami, posting a 6.53 ERA in 17 appearances (16 starts) in 2024. Munoz has been effective out of the bullpen for Memphis so far, posting a 1.80 ERA in five innings of work.

Roycroft grew in his importance in the Cardinals' bullpen last year, posting a 4.19 ERA in 27 games while flashing intriguing potential with his sinker that he supplements with a four-seam fastball, cutter, and sweeper. While the Cardinals really hoped that Roycroft would be a major part of their bullpen this year, he's really struggled this far, posting a 7.94 ERA and 2.12 WHIP in just 5.2 innings of work.

I imagine we'll see Roycroft back in St. Louis at some point this year as needs arise and he is able to stabilize himself. He'll have to compete with other arms in Memphis to earn an opportunity, but I do not see this as the end of the line for Roycroft by any means.

The Cardinals could look to make more bullpen moves in the near future, as both Ryan Fernandez and John King have not looked sharp so far either. For now, this is the major change they are making, and they'll hope to get better results from that group this weekend against the Phillies.