Cardinals DFA Recently Acquired Pitcher Despite Excellent Stats

The St. Louis Cardinals made a surprising roster move on Tuesday by designating right-handed reliever Shawn Armstrong for assignment, just weeks after acquiring him in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Dylan Carlson.

Armstrong had delivered strong performances during his brief tenure with the Cardinals, posting a 2.84 ERA over 12.2 innings across 11 appearances.

He also maintained an impressive 12-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio, making his designation for assignment all the more unexpected.

St. Louis traded three remaining years of Dylan Carlson for roughly 3 1/2 weeks of Shawn Armstrong.

Trading Carlson was necessary (for both parties!) but this is not a great look. https://t.co/WSgUupQtyF
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) August 27, 2024

Despite these solid numbers, Armstrong often found himself in low-leverage situations within a crowded Cardinals bullpen.

The decision to DFA him appears to be driven by roster management and financial considerations rather than his on-field results.

With the Cardinals sitting six games out of a Wild Card spot, the team opted to clear a roster spot for younger talent, specifically right-hander Riley O’Brien. O’Brien, who has shown promise in Triple-A and impressed during spring training, was recently recalled from Triple-A Memphis after missing much of the season due to injury.

Roster Move: RHP Riley O'Brien has been recalled from Memphis (AAA).

RHP Shawn Armstrong has been designated for assignment. pic.twitter.com/OOWvzzYbGX
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 27, 2024