The Cardinals should promote this overlooked arm to aid their bullpen down the stretch

The St. Louis Cardinals are in as much need as anyone for a fresh addition to their beleaguered bullpen after it was worked to exhaustion as the team was swept at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies, and they may have the solution in Triple-A Memphis, as right-handed relief pitcher Hancel Rincón has created ripples around the organization and may be primed for a spot on the major league squad within the next few days.

Rincón doesn't have the prospect name recognition of Quinn Mathews or even Luis Gastélum, but he has boasted excellent results over the past few months. Since July 1, Rincón holds a 2.28 ERA, a .149 opposing batting average and a .438 opposing OPS. Long a starting pitcher, Rincón was unimpressive for much of his career before finding a new grip on his changeup, allowing him to carve up Double-A hitters in 2025. However, he missed the final two months of last season with a hip injury, and it may have cost him a spot on the Cardinals' 40-man roster.

Medical issues shouldn't be an obstacle this time around, and Rincón's move to the bullpen will likely accelerate his timeline to the majors. The only potential roadblock to Rincón's ascent to St. Louis is his lack of presence on the aforementioned 40-man roster, which could persuade President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom to roll with Cooper Hjerpe, Brycen Mautz or Matt Svanson instead, all of whom are already on the 40-man roster.

Hancel Rincón still has a strong chance to play for the Cardinals despite not yet being on the 40-man roster

The Cardinals currently have an open spot on the 40-man roster, and if they decide to transfer starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins to the 60-day injured list, they will have a second spot available. There should be ample room for Rincón on the roster, and most of the prospects who were knocking on the door for a promotion — Gastélum, Mathews, Jimmy Crooks and Joshua Báez — are now members of the major league club, so the competition for a spot isn't fierce.

Rincón will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft and be available for any team to take if he isn't a member of the 40-man roster by December, so the Cardinals should add him and then move him to the active roster when it expands on Sept. 1 to allow an extra pitcher. They could then deploy him out of the bullpen to see if his skill set translates to the highest level.

Hjerpe seems less likely to receive a cup of coffee with the Cardinals this season since he's been a starter throughout 2026 and has only pitched 38 innings. That likely leaves Svanson and Mautz to duke it out with Rincón for the final pitcher's spot on the expanded roster. The team might know what it has in Svanson by now, and while Mautz may be the favorite because he's left-handed, if the Cardinals are out of the playoff picture come September, there's no downside to giving Rincón a shot.

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