Why isn't Masyn Winn playing - and 5 other roster questions facing the Cardinals

The Cardinals are at a crossroads. They just shipped out 6 major leaguers, freeing up significant roster space, yet they continue to play the likes of Taylor Motter and José Fermín in the infield. Meanwhile, Andrew Suárez, Dakota Hudson, James Naile, and Drew VerHagen continue to take the mound on a regular basis.

These players have lower ceilings than others, such as Masyn Winn, Luken Baker, and Michael McGreevy. So why aren't the Cardinals putting the best, most exciting team on the field? These answers are complicated, and they should be examined on a case-by-case basis. Today, we'll take stock of the current roster situation and examine 6 specific questions.

Where on earth is Masyn Winn?

Winn has been setting the world on fire over the past several months. The slick-fielding, fire-balling shortstop has found his power stroke. His OPS is up to .822. Winn has 17 homers, a career-high. His .284 average is also a career-high. This comes after Winn introduced himself to Cardinals fans with an incredible Spring Training. Winn, at just 21, has been treated aggressively by the Cardinals. Yet now, with him at his best, tearing up AAA pitching, the Cardinals are exercising caution. Why?

The Cardinals are in no hurry to promote Winn as he isn't currently a member of the 40-man roster. There is also the fact that the Cardinals likely want to preserve Winn's rookie eligibility. If they wait to promote him until August 19, he will not accrue enough service time to lose his rookie status before 2024. This will allow the Cardinals to receive draft pick rewards if Winn finishes high enough in Rookie of the Year voting. Even if they don't get the draft picks, it ensures that they won't waste a year of control on a lost season.

In recent days, various members of the Cardinals organization have hinted that Winn will play soon. He's now generating too much excitement to ignore. However, it is almost certain that the Cardinals will wait at least another 10 days. When he does arrive, expect to see him assume an everyday role. It will be a bright moment in an otherwise dull season.

What is Taylor Motter doing in the lineup?

Taylor Motter has spent a significant portion of the season on the active roster. Throughout the first half, he received very little attention aside from the time he replaced Jordan Walker. He didn't play more than once a week, and when he did he was usually pinch-hitting. However, in July and August, Motter has been sneaking into the lineup on a regular basis.

This is, and I cannot put it any other way, completely and absolutely baffling. Motter, at age 33, isn't an exciting young player. He's not an unknown quantity. He also isn't a particularly valuable player. Motter's career average is .189. He has just 10 home runs in his career, and he isn't a plus defender at any of the positions he plays.

Why Taylor Motter is receiving playing time and why he's on the 40-man roster are two different questions. Marmol, the manager, writes Motter's name on the lineup card. For Marmol, Motter can often seem like the best option left. Donovan has been shut down, and DeJong was traded. Marmol has shown a tendency to platoon certain players and is hesitant to let Carlson hit righties. He also tries to keep Edman out of the lineup against right-handers. Motter has, to his credit, shown more power than José Fermín, which can sometimes justify his inclusion from the manager's perspective.

Motter's inclusion on the active roster, and the 40-man roster, is less justified. Motter could easily be DFA'd. He went through that process earlier this season and was not claimed. Waiting in AAA is Richie Palacios, a player with similar defensive flexibility but a much more interesting offensive profile. Palacios is also on the 40-man roster, so he could easily be swapped with Motter. There are also other players who aren't part of the 40-man roster, such as Nick Dunn. Dunn, like Palacios, is much more interesting than Motter. He lacks defensive flexibility but has much more offensive potential.

Perhaps the Cardinals are evaluating their options and will make some changes to the roster shortly. However, there is no reason to wait. The Front Office should absolutely be addressing the issues in both the active roster and the 40-man roster.

Why are there empty spots on the 40-man roster?

There are currently 37 players on the 40-man roster. Brendan Donovan is likely to be moved to the 60-day IL, which would open up a fourth spot. Why aren't the Cardinals taking advantage of this roster space? Plenty of exciting players who could help the big league club shortly, such as Michael McGreevy and Masyn Winn, are currently not on that roster. They can't join the team until they're placed on the 40-man.

Unfortunately, these empty spots are only temporarily empty. Ryan Helsley, Wilking Rodriguez, and Packy Naughton are likely to rejoin the roster over the offseason, if not sooner. The Cardinals do not want to lose any of these pitchers, but adding players to the roster now would likely cost them their spots.

The roster crunch that would occur should the Cardinals add players could force them to try their luck sending someone through waivers. This likely isn't a risk the Cardinals will take, meaning they won't be using these extra spots anytime soon.

Who are they likely to add?

As previously discussed, Winn is almost guaranteed to join the big league club in 2023. It's also likely that they'll add a pitcher. Rom could be added without having to DFA someone later, as he's on the 40-man roster. However, the Cardinals probably want to know what they have in a pitcher like McGreevy.

I do believe that both of these players will be added before the end of the season. Others with an outside shot at joining the 40-man roster are Nick Dunn, Adam Kloffenstein, and Gordon Graceffo. If these players are added, someone will be forced out, either in the short term or over the offseason.

However, by 2024, the Cardinals will need to add multiple players. This will certainly include Winn, and at least one or two internal pitching options. It will also (hopefully) include several external pitching options. If they come via trade, their spots could open organically, but if the pitching help comes via free agency, the Cardinals will have to make some difficult decisions. They'll probably add at least four to five players to the 40-man between now and Opening Day of the 2024 season.

And who will be forced out?

In order for the Cardinals to add players, they will have to subtract some. First, players on expiring contracts will open up some vacancies. This likely includes Adam Wainwright and Drew VerHagen. After them, Taylor Motter is probably the first player out. He has already passed through waivers before, and even if he was claimed, the Cardinals wouldn't be losing out on a young player. Motter is already 33 and is a fairly known quantity.

The next player to be removed from the roster would probably be James Naile. Like Motter, Naile has already been DFA'd once this year, though it was prior to the season. He is unlikely to be claimed, as he has struggled in his limited opportunities this season. By my count, this is an easy four spots that the Cardinals could free up.

Other players the Cardinals could consider moving on from include José Fermín, Connor Thomas, and Guillermo Zuñigo. None of these players have impressed in 2023, though each has shown some upside in the past. There's a group of young pitchers such as Leahy or Suárez that the Cardinals may pass on, but these players are probably too young for the organization to give up on them. They have significantly more potential than the players listed earlier and are long shots to lose their roster spots.

It's also possible that the Cardinals could move on from players via trades. Juan Yepez, Moisés Gómez, and Luken Baker have all been mentioned as trade pieces. They're blocked by other players and will have difficulty reaching the major league level, though each of them could contribute in meaningful ways on other rosters. Unfortunately, this offseason will be full of difficult decisions. It is likely that the roster will look significantly different for the 2024 season. Many familiar faces are already gone, and that process will only continue over the next 8 months.