Cardinals right-hander Keynan Middleton is about to obtain a second opinion relating to his strained forearm, supervisor Oli Marmol advised reporters (together with MLB.com’s John Denton) yesterday. Denton added earlier at this time that Middleton is about to journey to New York to obtain the second opinion from Yankees doctor Dr. Christian Ahmad on Monday, with Denton noting that Ahmad is described as an “skilled” on Tommy John surgical procedure on his enterprise web site.
That’s actually an ominous replace relating to Middleton, who the Cardinals signed to be a key piece of their set-up combine this 12 months however has but to pitch an everyday season inning in a Cardinals uniform as a result of damage, which sidelined him throughout Spring Coaching. The 30-year-old appeared to be nearing a return in mid-Might however the Cardinals relayed final week that he had suffered a setback and that the membership was now involved about harm to his ulnar collateral ligament. Surgical procedure on Middleton’s UCL, whether or not it had been an inner brace process or Tommy John surgical procedure, would certainly finish the veteran’s season earlier than it might start whereas probably impacting the 2025 marketing campaign for the righty as properly.
Previous to signing with the Cardinals on a one-year, $6MM deal this previous winter, Middleton delivered a formidable 2023 marketing campaign cut up between the White Sox and the Yankees the place he pitched to a 3.38 ERA in 51 appearances. He carried out particularly properly in 14 1/3 innings of labor down the stretch with the Yankees final 12 months that noticed him submit a 1.88 ERA whereas placing out 30.4% of batters confronted. Final season constituted one thing of a breakout marketing campaign for the 30-year-old, as he entered the 2023 marketing campaign with a reasonably pedestrian ERA of 4.01 for his profession throughout 143 2/3 innings of labor with the Angels, Mariners, and Diamondbacks.
If Middleton had been to go beneath the knife, it might be a troublesome blow for a St. Louis membership that has additionally weathered accidents to Nick Robertson and Giovanny Gallegos in its bullpen combine. Happily for the Cardinals, they’re higher located to climate the lack of a high-upside reduction arm than many golf equipment because of the unbelievable efficiency the membership has gotten out of nearer Ryan Helsley, lefty JoJo Romero, and veteran Andrew Kitteredge in the back of their bullpen. That trio has mixed to submit a 2.26 ERA in 75 2/3 innings of labor whereas racking up 75 strikeouts in opposition to simply 16 walks as a bunch.
Whereas the information relating to Middleton is actually ominous, Marmol additionally offered a extra optimistic damage replace yesterday, as relayed by Denton (X hyperlink). Left-hander Steven Matz is about to throw what Marmol described as a “full depth” bullpen session tomorrow, and if the veteran recovers properly within the aftermath of that session he might head out for a minor league rehab project within the close to future. That might be a big reduction for the Cardinals, who’ve been pressured to show to depth choices like Matthew Liberatore and Andre Pallante to fill out the membership’s rotation whereas Matz has been out nursing a protruding disc in his again. Matz had struggled to a 6.18 ERA in six begins with the membership previous to happening the injured listing however may very well be a worthwhile piece as soon as wholesome, as indicated by his 3.86 ERA (114 ERA+) and three.75 FIP in 105 innings of labor cut up between the rotation and bullpen final 12 months.
