The Cardinals' latest lineup speaks volumes about Thomas Saggese's roster spot

The St. Louis Cardinals may be overachieving relative to expectations so far this season, but that doesn't mean there aren't players on the roster who are struggling mightily. Much has been written about Victor Scott's issues at the plate, but he's not the only one who's faded badly, as Thomas Saggese's poor performance has given the Cardinals no choice but to sit him in the rubber match against the Athletics despite a vulnerable left-hander taking the mound for Sacramento.

Right-handed hitters are batting .288 with a .916 OPS against Lopez this season. Despite those juicy possibilities for Saggese, manager Oli Marmol has decided to keep left-hander Nolan Gorman in the lineup at third base and play Jose Fermin at first base. Yes, you read that right: Marmol is placing Fermin at a position he has never played before in the major leagues.

That's an enormous indictment on Saggese's recent performance. He is 0 for his last 28 and has struck out 13 times in that span while not walking once. The Cardinals had already decided to demote Saggese to Triple-A Memphis on May 4, but he quickly made a U-turn back to St. Louis when the team placed Ramon Urias on the 10-day injured list on the following day.

Another demotion appears nigh for Saggese

According to STLToday's Derrick Goold on 101 ESPN, Urias is unlikely to return from the injured list when eligible on May 15, but Saggese's massive problems at the plate may give the Cardinals no choice but to replace him regardless. Jimmy Crooks might be the favorite to take his spot, as he has shown a power stroke in Memphis, although his plate discipline has left much to be desired.

On the other hand (literally), the Cardinals may be seeking out another right-handed bat to fill in for Saggese, which means the hot-hitting Blaze Jordan could be a possibility. Jordan is hitting .311 with a .939 OPS, but the Cardinals would have to clear a 40-man roster spot to make room for him. If they opt to take that route, the most likely cuts would seem to be Cesar Prieto or Bryan Torres.

Actions speak louder than words, and Marmol has made it clear with his latest lineup that he isn't trusting Saggese even in the friendliest of matchups. Expect the Cardinals to boot Saggese from the major league squad soon and give him a mental reset.

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