Willing to give DeJong another chance? Baseball, the sport of 162 games and six months and enough time for ebbs and flows that other sports dont allow, presented an opportunity for DeJong on Friday, and he seized the moment. Paul DeJong Biography- MLB player, Salary, Earnings, Net worth, Married Katie Woo is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the St. Louis Cardinals. By the end of April, he was batting just .137. After struggling mightily immediately after his demotion, DeJong seems to have . I think the ability to go down there and have a reset is important, but hes going to have to actually make physical change so that the result looks different.. He went 8 for 9 in save opportunities. Now that's what we call clutch! As we look forward to his 23 season, even in this very early season sample size, we can draw some notable parallels with his lamentable 22 season. THE COLD WIRE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COLD WIRE MEDIA. Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong strikes out with two men on base to end the seventh inning against the Padres on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022 at Petco Park in San Diego. Following an offseason spent reworking his swing, DeJong was limited to 13 at-bats during spring training because of a back injury. The clubs first-round Draft pick in 2015, Woodford emerged as a valuable depth arm in 2022, pitching to a 2.23 ERA across 48 1/3 innings in a versatile role. I have always wanted to make everyone proud and I plan on coming back stronger than ever.. DeJong smashed it the other way, and the ball rattled around in the right-field corner. The at-bats just looked the same, he explained. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. June 11th, 2021. Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong fouls a ball off his left foot while taking batting practice on Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, at the club's spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. (CT) at T-Mobile Park. I can't touch my toes. Paul DeJong was at bat for the home club. ". Wainwright made a rehab appearance on Wednesday with Class AA Springfield and completed three innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Maybe they had a plan to fix him? Tommy Edman will be the clubs starting shortstop this season, and while the Cardinals have a plethora of versatile infielders, DeJong was the most serviceable option at shortstop behind Edman. Still, Mozeliak is hesitant to act on an impulse without at least vetting other options. Its a small sample size, of course, but its an encouraging start since it is something he struggled with in the minors. In the minors. Instead, DeJong faltered to the point where Mozeliak had no choice but to demote him. He ended up with just 40 PAs at Memphis. Believing in my stuff, and knowing that it's small tweaks at this point. Hed been fantastic since New York traded for him before the July 2021 trade deadline, and the Yankees expected to give him a season full of important outs, though not necessarily at the very end of ballgames. And even if he does, its possible that he has played his last game in a Cardinals uniform. Its not for lack of familiarity, Marmol explained. In his career, DeJong has shown reverse splits. Paul DeJong back in lineup for Cardinals - MLB He replaced the high leg kick that he used early in his career with a more balanced stance, in which he keeps his weight back and barely lifts his foot. dark. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who normally hits behind Goldschmidt, will bat behind Gorman. Paul Sterling DeJong (born August 2, 1993) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). DeJong, 28, has a murky future with the Cardinals after the season. He emerged from those sessions with a more balanced swing, newly confident that he could get back to being the player who smashed 74 home runs from 2017-19, finished second in National League Rookie . And those pitches will be on the black in challenge counts and with incredible break and spin. Instead, DeJong has spent the spring hampered by minor injuries. Odds and lines subject to change. His ERA at the end of April was a sparkling 0.84. Rodriguez did not allow a hit or walk in the outing and needed just nine pitches (seven strikes) to complete the outing. When the St. Louis Cardinals optioned Paul DeJong to Triple-A Memphis, the domino effect immediately followed. John Denton. 2 prospect in St. Louis' system, per MLB Pipeline. Brendan Donovan who won the first-ever National League utility Gold Glove last year, is now the most likely to fill the void. He saw fewer and fewer pitches in the zone. He made his MLB debut in 2017. The Cardinals are hopeful he can rediscover the swing that helped him hit 25 home runs as a rookie in 2017, 19 in 2018 and a career-best 30 in 2019, when he was the NLs starting shortstop in the All-Star Game. Cardinals' Paul DeJong has something to say about navigating the I would expect the playing for (Paul DeJong) to fluctuate, and to resemble what Oli Marmol has been doing in the outfield, Woo said. SEATTLE -- Shortstop Paul DeJong, whose career has been marred by shocking struggles much of the past three seasons, is headed back to the Cardinals and could be activated as soon as Sunday, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Saturday. By Tuesday morning, DeJongs fate was decided. Thats why taking the time to start becoming comfortable with a possible transition now is so imperative. The righty is expected to throw around 75 pitches in the outing. Back from IL, Paul DeJong starts at shortstop as Cardinals close series vs. Mariners: First Pitch. Sent down to . When DeJong struggled mightily to open last season, the Cardinals sent him to Triple-A and shifted Edman -- a Gold Glove winner at second in 2021 -- to short. "He continues to get better and better, and that was a pretty impressive outing, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. It doesnt mean he was pleased with it but he understood it.. We need him to be where whatever he decides to do, he believes, and its not us having five or six people tell him what to do.. He has struck out 11 times, which is 26.8 percent of the time, and that is a number that is far too high. This doesnt mean the Cardinals will not call up Gorman. We do have some tough decisions, but that right there is exactly what we wanted to see today. I dont think its a bad thing for him to pull the ball more. Follow Katie on Twitter @katiejwoo, Cardinals roster projection 2.0: Who to watch with a week of spring training remaining, MLB spring training standouts: 10 young players who are impressing GMs, scouts. Weve seen BABIP-fueled power surges from him before. His rookie-season production over a relatively small sample size hid disturbing flaws. As a player who never profiled to hit for average but possessed a high upside when it came to power, the Cardinals easily accepted that from DeJong, especially when coupled with his solid glove at a premier position. Catchers once in a lifetime lunge saves Cardinals, The world watches (and makes donations) as St. Louis bald eagle raises eaglet from a rock, Governor threatens to keep Missouri lawmakers in session over transgender rules, Barat Academy in Chesterfield to close after years of financial troubles, Four young people die in Old Monroe head-on crash, Court records online include private information for thousands of Missouri residents, Archdiocese releases third draft of proposed changes to St. Louis parishes. This game is about production, Mozeliak said. Inside the Clubhouse: Did the Cardinals make a mistake with Paul DeJong? In 2017 DeJong hit .285/.325/.532 with 25 homers in 443 PAs and a 123 wRC+. His 29.1 percent strikeout rate was in the 17th percentile and his hard-hit percentage (35.8) and barrel percentage (5.7) both ranked in the 30th percentile. His HR/FB rate was 25%. He has 1967 plate appearances of 92 wRC+ since his rookie season. The most important thing is just getting a routine and playing again, not having to look over your shoulder, Mozeliak said. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). Paul was on fire and had a great day on [Friday], Johnson said. Paul DeJong knows why he is back in the minors - KSDK 'I've gone way too far in analyzing myself': How Paul DeJong lost his Prior to joining The Athletic, Katie spent two years covering the minor leagues as an editorial producer for MiLB.com and spent the 2018 MLB season covering the San Diego Padres as an associate reporter for MLB.com. His highest HR/FB% in the majors 19.8% came during his rookie year. He has impressed the club with his development of a new slider this spring and has had excellent results in Grapefruit League play, pitching to a 2.04 ERA with an 18/5 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 17 2/3 innings. He busted out quickly and then tanked again. He is then expected to advance through light throwing. If he simplified his approach to get the barrel to the ball quicker, then why did he whiff so often on minor league pitches early this season? I believe he (or someone like him) has a necessary role to play on this club. The starting shortstop job was DeJong's to win back, and a promising spring campaign one where DeJong "felt like (himself)" again seemed to indicate this would be the season where he . St. Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong bats during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, April 9, 2022, in St. Louis. His walk rate would likely stay the same, if only because he wasnt seeing balls in the zone. I love the Cardinals fans, the Cardinals organization, my coaches and teammates, DeJong said. In 77 MLB games last season, he hit .157 with six home runs and 25 RBIs -- prompting the offseason work to change his approach at the plate. He is also passionate about music, cats, and South Park. His absence should enhance the opportunity for several players battling for the final bench spot, potentially creating a path to the Opening Day roster for outfielders Alec Burleson and Juan Yepez or utility man Taylor Motter. JUPITER, Fla. Back in mid-March, long after the majority of the major leaguers had headed back to the clubhouse for the day or left for the golf course there stood Paul DeJong on an . The former All-Star shortstop is currently on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis. They didn't quite have in mind the . However, DeJong may be close to making his way back. In that start, Flaherty retired 10 consecutive batters from the second through the fifth innings. DeJong swung the bat well enough at Triple-A to get back to St. Louis, where he had home runs in his first two games and drove in the winning run with a double against the Yankees a few days later. Making his caseA day after Dakota Hudson took a step backward in the battle for the Cardinals sixth starter/swingman job, right-hander Jake Woodford may have sealed his case to head north with the team in that spot. So whats next for DeJong? Marmol and Mozeliak met with the rest of the staff on the teams charter flight back to St. Louis from San Francisco on Sunday night and agreed to contemplate the best move for the organization over the teams scheduled off day Monday. Flaherty has struck out 17 batters and walked 17 in 21 1/3 innings. Could Paul DeJong provide a 94 wRC+ or better against primarily right-handed pitchers while giving Edman time off to stay fresh defensively? Both Mozeliak and Marmol have said before that when Gorman is called up, it will be as an everyday player. Since hes been here, hes put together quality at-bats. Its those old habits that I want to take a look at today. I do think other teams had some interest; he could have been moved. Juan Yepez, who looks to be on the outside looking in in terms of the outfield, remains under consideration for a pinch-hit role as well. The 29-year-old baseball player was born in Orlando, Florida, USA. I think the Milwaukee Brewers' offense is starting to show signs of life after finishing April ranked 17th in OPS (.673) and 19th in wRC+ (95). While Edman is also a contender to slide to shortstop, the Cardinals would prefer to avoid making an abrupt position change, especially one that would unseat the 2021 Gold Glove winner from a position where he is continuing to excel. Mozeliak said the club made the decision to promote DeJong on Friday afternoon, but the logistics of joining the Cardinals in Seattle during their 10-game road trip complicated matters a bit. FanGraphs has a projected playing time of only 15 percent at the shortstop position in St. Louis for Paul DeJong, while Tommy Edman owns an 81 percent projected 81 percent playing time in the same infield slot. That said, its hard to see another team taking on his contract considering his extensive struggles in the majors, and that would mean that DeJong being DFAd is the most likely scenario, barring him bouncing back in a big way and Gorman struggling in the majors. That season he managed a .194 IS0 but a wRC+ of just 85. But I just got to keep going. Paul DeJong is looking to bounce back in 2023. He emerged from those sessions with a more balanced swing, newly confident that he could get back to being the player who smashed 74 home runs from 2017-19, finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in '17 and played in the All-Star Game in '19. He played college baseball at the Illinois State University. Rodriguez did not allow a hit or walk in the outing and needed just nine pitches (seven strikes) to complete the outing. (, Rodriguez began a rehab assignment on Thursday with Class AAA Memphis where he pitched a scoreless inning of relief and struck out one batter. Why St. Louis remains committed to a motivated Paul DeJong at shortstop 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. But we passed exciting up a long time ago. Keep up with the latest trending news in sports with our daily newsletter. Remove a leg kick. Cardinals Insider Provides Update On Paul DeJong The Cardinals could take both Yepez and Motter on their Opening Day roster, with Yepez manning the bench bat role and Motter being used as a utility man when needed. The hope is that DeJong can hit the reset button in multiple facets of his game; one being from a production standpoint and the other stemming from changing his mentality. In July, DeJong was hit with a pitch and missed a few weeks. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. DeJong, meanwhile, was tasked with getting his career back on track in the minors. So, Im really looking forward to Paul going up and helping our club.. Dodgers third. Generally speaking, a player that has been what hes been for a few thousand plate appearances is far more likely to remain what hes been than become something else. USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Stream: https://t.co/JyFc2efJXn pic.twitter.com/8QgBfaVWr9, "DeJong put a great swing on one and really hurt him, obviously," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game. But when you think about whats best for him, whats best for the organization and really this club right now, we found it was going to be difficult to get him at-bats and get right while were trying to win games at the major-league level. Those realities hid trouble coming. Over his four starts this season, Flexen has allowed 22 hits and 15 runs in 17 1/3 innings. I am sure that little splits-oriented nuance is part of the reason the club decided fairly early in the offseason to bring him back. The Cardinals would have to pay someone else between $6-9.17M to take DeJong off their hands while also paying another player to come and fill the backup middle infield role. We can talk about hard-hitting balls, hard contact, but you guys can look at the numbers just like we can, and hes just not getting it done in that standpoint. Paul DeJong steps into opportunity he might have 'dreaded' before and delivers big hit for Cardinals vs. Yankees, Four candidates to be this October's Jorge Soler/Eddie Rosario-type playoff hero, Aaron Judge pushes ahead of Yankees legends with torrid home run pace heading into August, New York lands OF Bader for SP Montgomery, Cardinals bolster pitching staff in deadline deal with Pirates for Quintana. Maybe they still loved hope as a strategy? Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong aggravated his lower back taking ground balls before Mondays exhibition game against the Marlins and will likely miss the opening of the 2023 season. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. You already know that DeJong scuffled to begin last season. And Paul Dejong has been what hes been for a while now. Holmes started the season with a prominent role in the . They will change a bat. DeJong, who spent most of his rehab assignment with Class AAA Memphis, is starting at shortstop at batting seventh in his return to the lineup. Cardinals vs. Dodgers Recap: April 30, 2023, St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers - A game thread for April 30, 2023, Cardinals cant crack Kershaw, fall to Dodgers 1-0. DeJong has started in his place over the last three games. DeJong is back. Tommy Edman has a 94 career wRC+ against right-handed pitchers as a lefty batter. Heres a simple rule that Ive followed in player analysis: players dont change later in their careers. Paul DeJong #11 of the St. Louis Cardinals up to bat against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 16, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He struggled through an injury- and illness-plagued 2020 and then saw his batting average plummet to .197 in 2021. He was finally called back up at the end of July and homered in each of his first two games before going 1 for 9 in the three-game set against the Cubs to open August. Void in ONT. Wainwright is scheduled to make a second rehab start with Springfield, which will come on the road at Wichita. Hes struck out just 11. In 18 and 19, DeJong showed some signs of maturity all while seeing his overall offensive production drop. He will be reevaluated after that start and would be considered for a return to the majors. Clay Holmes was on the mound for the visitors. Given his recent struggles in previous years, there may not be a clear path back for the former slugger. Physically he stated he had been feeling good, really since he got to Memphis. I feel like collectively, as an organization, we were positive and patient through that process. Tired of DeJong? It was already a bit of a goofy night. After an All-Star season in 2019, DeJong's offensive performance has slipped steadily over the last three years. Part of me wants to see progress in there. Latest on St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN ST. LOUIS In a move that was sensible but nevertheless surprising, the Cardinals optioned former All-Star shortstop Paul DeJong to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, citing a need for the 28-year-old to reset amidst another abysmal offensive stretch to open the season. Donovan was in Tuesdays starting lineup at shortstop, becoming the first MLB player in the modern era (since 1900) to start at four different infield positions in the first four starts of his career. Paul DeJong rejoins Cardinals in Washington - MLB So that part will be reduced. Cardinals SS DeJong (back) likely to miss start of 2023 season Try a week on us. Paul DeJong hasnt had a season with a batting average better than .200 since 2020 when he hit .250. The Cardinals would likely have to take a loss on the deal, but I didnt see any way that they would bring him back. He gave up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings to the Cubs on April 11 and allowed four runs across six innings against the Brewers on April 17. I think theres an adjustment to be made both physically and mentally, he added. DeJong, meanwhile, has been better in Triple-A, but is still struggling as hes hitting only .189/.244/.243 with a .487 OPS in 41 plate appearances. Once he cools off, hell settle right back in as the same hitter he was before and thats not a major league player, regardless of his defense. Paul DeJong apologizes to Cardinals fans for minor-league - MSN Get viral MLB graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. This was dubbed a critical spring for DeJong, coming off a season in which the 2019 All-Star hit .157 and spent more than two months at Triple-A Memphis. The past did not dictate the present. DeJong, who hit at least 19 home runs in each . He cut down on his Ks in 18 and 19. He has gone 1-for-9 with two walks and three strikeouts. DeJong's +1 DRS tells a slightly different story than his -3 . Unfortunately, the injury to his back derailed him and cost him some time in Grapefruit League play. In 14 innings, he surrendered just eight hits while striking out 15. Thats the role DeJong is being asked to fill, even if hes being paid starters money. Paul DeJong steps into opportunity he might have 'dreaded' before and Give DeJong some credit. Me? Then we want him to get into a routine that hes comfortable and that he believes in.. That certainly didnt base that decision on performance. They all try a lot of things. Following an injury- and illness-filled 2020, DeJong clubbed 19 home runs in '21, but he lost his starting job to Edmundo Sosa. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Which makes him a candidate to be traded or even designated for assignment. I cant do normal things right now, so it's definitely not playable. A World Series winner as a player and the big, booming voice of summer as a broadcaster, St. Louis native spent more than 50 years as a champi, Walker was not in the internal lineup Wednesday for a third consecutive day, and the reason: He's being demoted to Class AAA. In 2018 he slashed .241/.313/.433 in 490 plate appearances and in his All-Star campaign in 2019 he slashed .233/.318/.444 . His contact levels would drop again. What Holmes has been most of the season was not what he was Friday night. Because, yknow, #baseball. Depending on the quality of that player, the Cardinals would have at best broken even and likely would have had to add payroll to make the trade and cover their butts positionally. Even though the past can provide hints and suggestions as to what might happen, the past does not absolutely dictate the future. He and Tommy Edman were also taking reps at shortstop before batting practice. What will happen when he starts seeing even more breaking and offspeed pitches than in the past? But were not going to take someone thats having the type of season he is and just like a light switch, move him over.. Yes, he put more balls into play and his slash line was reminiscent of his more average MLB seasons. The shortstop, who was demoted to Triple-A last year following two-plus seasons of hitting struggles, homered in his first game back with the Cardinals on July 30. He started to hit home runs with much more regularity, though, including six in a nine-game stretch that also included 18 RBIs. Hes hitting better now. And the Cardinals talked a lot about how he had to compete for his spot on the roster out of Spring Training. Zachary Silver. The Cardinals would prefer to stay away from using Gorman as a role player, unlike Donovan, Robertson and Lars Nootbaar. Paul DeJong - Age, Bio, Personal Life, Family & Stats - CelebsAges Paul DeJong wears a mask when he is in public. Arenado and ONeill scored, and the Cardinals suddenly led 4-3. Try to pull the ball more. Yes, he has a 118 wRC+. Its hard for me to say that anything worked. His walks stayed fairly consistent, helped by the rising number of balls out of the strike zone, but his batting average, barrel rate, and expected stats all took a nosedive. Its about sticking with things moment to moment. The Cardinals decided to call up Robertson and leave Gorman in Memphis for a multitude of reasons, with the top priority being playing time. His pull percentage was the highest of his career at any level at 63.6%. I dont know if that was a strategic decision. The combination would be another collapse. I do know that it wasnt just a funk. He returned in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, batting 7th and playing shortstop to give Tommy Edman a needed day off. With 10 days remaining until the Cardinals open the regular season March 30, the team acknowledges time is running out for DeJong to heal and ramp up for Opening Day. Subscribe to the Cold Wire MLB newsletter here! Holmes started the season with a prominent role in the Yankees' bullpen. TV: Bally Sports Midwest ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I know things can change. Paul DeJong homers in his first game of 2023 - MLB All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. He returned in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, batting 7 th and playing shortstop to give Tommy Edman a needed day off. Or at least not worse. DeJong, 29, almost certainly would have gotten those at-bats -- and would have fielded the four groundouts to shortstop over the games first four innings. On Twitter, Cardinals insider Jeff Jones provided an update on where things stand and revealed what manager Oli Marmol had to say about the matter. Our hope was he would get a decent amount of at-bats, especially with [starter Tommy] Edman going to the [World Baseball Classic]. He hit fewer fly balls. What does that mean for Calif.? And even if he does, its possible that he has played his last game in a Cardinals uniform.