3 Cardinals whose 40-man roster spots are now at risk

RHP Kyle Leahy

Kyle Leahy is the final player currently on the 40-man roster who may be removed once Steven Matz and Riley O'Brien return. The Boulder, Colorado native probably has the strongest case to remain on the roster when compared to the other two players on this list, though.

Leahy was drafted in the 17th round of the 2018 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, and he made his debut last year on July 7th against the Chicago White Sox. He recorded two outs via strikeouts, but he also allowed two runs and was shouldered with the loss. Leahy has been up and down all year between St. Louis and Memphis.

Kyle Leahy has actually gotten the most run out of any of these DFA candidates this year. Leahy, 27, has thrown 35.1 innings this year in St. Louis, and he boasts a 3.57 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 1.019 WHIP, and he has a 119 ERA+. Leahy isn't striking out many batters this year -- just 5.9 per nine innings. He doesn't allow many home runs, though.

Leahy has been used in higher-leverage situations as the season has gone on, and he's been finishing games more often lately. He recorded his first career save on July 20th, and he has two holds on his resume this year already. What makes Leahy even more effective is his ability to pitch multiple innings, something he's done in 15 of his 21 outings this year.

Leahy's usage this year paired with his better-than-average stats at the major league level make him the safest bet to remain on the roster following the returns of Riley O'Brien and Steven Matz.