LATEST NEWS

May 11: 1B/DH Matt Carpenter activated from 10-day IL; 2B José Fermín optioned to Triple-A Memphis
Carpenter, who has been out since April 2 with a right oblique strain, was activated following rehab assignments with Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. To make room on the active roster, the Cardinals optioned Fermín to Memphis.

Carpenter, 38, played three games for the Cardinals earlier this season and went 3-for-10 with three strikeouts. He played six games with Springfield and Memphis, going 4-for-19 with a double and two home runs.

Fermín, who has split time at second and third base, appeared in nine games. He had two hits in his first start on Monday, but he was 0-for-4 in Friday’s 11-2 loss to the Brewers.

May 10: Cardinals claim LHP Kolton Ingram off waivers from the Rangers; RHP Riley O'Brien (right flexor tendon strain) moved to the 60-day injured list
Ingram, 27, was claimed by the Cardinals on Friday after being designated for assignment by the Rangers. O’Brien, who has been out since May 30 with a strained right flexor tendon, was moved to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster for Ingram.

Ingram was claimed by the Tigers and Mets in February and by the Rangers in April. The left-handed reliever made his MLB debut with the Angels in 2023 and went 0-0 with an 8.44 ERA in five MLB games. This season, he was 1-0 with a 5.14 ERA with New York and Texas’ Triple-A teams.

O’Brien, one of the Cardinals’ top performers in Spring Training, struck out Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani during an inning of work on Opening Day, but he felt tightness in his forearm a day later and hasn’t pitched in a game since. He has recently started playing long toss and he could pitch off a mound for the first time since late March by next week.

• All Cardinals transactions

10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Keynan Middleton (right forearm flexor strain)
Expected return: Late May
Middleton, a Cardinals free-agent signee in the offseason, wrapped up his final bullpen session at Busch Stadium on Friday, and he will start a Minor League rehab assignment next week, manager Oliver Marmol said. He will join Double-A Springfield or Triple-A Memphis in the coming days, Marmol noted. Middleton strained the flexor tendon in his right forearm early in Spring Training and hasn’t pitched since March 7. He pitched well out of the bullpen for the White Sox and Yankees last season and signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals that has a club option for a second year. (Last updated: May 10)

C Willson Contreras (left forearm fracture)
Expected return: Mid-July
Contreras underwent successful surgery on his fractured left forearm on Thursday in St. Louis, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. Unlike the original six-to-eight-week projection that Contreras hoped for in his return to action, projections within the Cardinals have the catcher able to play again in approximately 10 weeks if all goes well with his recovery and rehabilitation.

“Everything went well, and he came out of it good,” Marmol said. “He’s started the recovery process. I talked to him right before [the surgery] and he was in the right mindset. He did more of the grieving the day before and he was in a mindset of, ‘it is what it is,’ and I’m going to get this done, be there to support the team and then work like hell to get back.”

The extent of the damage in Contreras’ arm is still unknown after he was hit by the bat of Mets slugger JD Martinez on Tuesday night. Contreras, who signed a five-year, $87.5 million free-agent deal with the Cardinals before the 2023 season, has been the most consistent hitter in an offense that has struggled all season. He’s hit .280 with a team-high six home runs, 11 doubles and 12 RBIs. (Last updated: May 9)

RHP Giovanny Gallegos (right shoulder impingement)
Expected return: Late May at the earliest
Gallegos, who has been losing velocity since 2022 and has been hit hard this season, was placed on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder impingement on May 6. Coming into this season, Gallegos had been one of baseball’s most durable pitchers, leading the National League in appearances (268) and innings pitched as a reliever (283 1/3) since 2019. But this season, he’s allowed 12 earned runs in nine innings pitched. He has not retired a batter in either of his last two outings, and the average velocity on his fastball has dropped from 94.3 mph to 92.1 mph from 2022 to 2024. The hard-hit percentage on that pitch has climbed from 46.5 percent to 81.8 percent. (Last updated: May 6)

LHP Steven Matz (lower back strain)
Expected return: Mid-May
Matz, who struggled in his most recent outing on April 30 and underwent an MRI on May 2, was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 3 with a lower back strain.

Matz, who has been bothered by numerous injuries throughout his two-plus seasons with the Cardinals since signing a four-year, $44 million free-agent deal, is 1-2 with a 6.18 ERA in six starts this season. After pitching well against the Dodgers and Marlins to open the season, Matz is 0-2 with an 8.84 ERA over his past four starts. (Last updated: May 3)

60-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Riley O'Brien (flexor tendon strain)
Expected return: May
O’Brien, who was one of the Cardinals’ top pitchers all throughout Spring Training, was moved to the 60-day injured list on May 10 to make room on the 40-man roster for Kolton Ingram, who had been designated for assignment by the Rangers. O’Brien struck out Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Opening Day in an inning in which he allowed one run, but he felt tightness in his forearm the next day. He recently started playing long toss to build back arm strength after being shut down for several weeks. O’Brien will most likely throw off a mound for the first time since late March next week. (Last updated: May 10)

CF Tommy Edman (right wrist surgery)
Expected return: Late May
The switch-hitting Edman, who has yet to fully go through baseball activities after undergoing wrist surgery in October, has progressed to taking swings from both sides of a tee and has reported no issues. Because of previous pain and swelling, Edman had been limited to swinging from the left side. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 6.

Edman, who signed a two-year, $16 million contract extension in January to avoid salary arbitration proceedings, was shut down four times in Spring Training because of lingering pain and swelling in his wrist. Edman said he got second and third opinions from independent doctors during Spring Training, and he was assured that the wrist is structurally sound.

"This time around," manager Oliver Marmol said April 29, "he's been good and recovering really well." (Last updated: May 6)

LHP Drew Rom (left shoulder surgery)
Expected return: September
Rom, who was acquired last July in a trade with the Orioles, recently underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder that might allow him to return later this season, manager Oliver Marmol said. Marmol dubbed the procedure as “a best-case scenario,” and is hopeful Rom can return in the fall.

Rom, 24, made three starts in Spring Training before being put on the injured list with shoulder trouble. He was later moved to the 60-day IL.

After being acquired in the trade centered around Jack Flaherty, Rom made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Cardinals. In eight starts, Rom was 1-4 with an 8.06 ERA. His first MLB win was over the Orioles in Baltimore. (Last updated: May 9)

• More injury news