果酱视频

They are in the business of accumulating stuff.

Right-hander Jorge Alcala, the Cardinals鈥� latest waiver claim since the trade deadline, was expected to arrive in 果酱视频 late Saturday night, and he鈥檒l be activated ahead of Sunday evening鈥檚 game against the Cubs at Busch Stadium. Alcala has pitched this season for Minnesota and Boston, and through 41 games he has a 6.64 ERA and more hits allowed (40) than innings pitched (40 2/3). What he is beneath the surface stats is the stuff the Cardinals crave and now have the time and opportunity to see if they can unlock.

Alcala, 30, has a fastball that averages 97.2 mph, a sinker that dives at 96.7 mph, and a curveball that he鈥檚 throwing more often at 85.4 mph to play off a slider at 89.9 mph.

鈥淭o my understanding, this is a guy who has a high ceiling and kind of what comes out of the hand,鈥� manager Oliver Marmol said. 鈥淲e have to get him in the zone more for it to play up and be more effective. I see that being in a role where we ease him into meaningful innings. But initially I don鈥檛 think he has to get here and pitch in leverage.鈥�

The Cardinals previously acquired lefty Anthony Veneziano from Miami off of waivers and optioned him to Class AAA Memphis to give more depth to the left side of the bullpen. A corresponding move in the bullpen will be necessary Sunday to clear a spot for Alcala.

The Cardinals considered at least two relievers available on waivers in the past week after Veneziano, and part of that process illustrates the Cardinals鈥� current approach to the remaining months of the season and how the new structure for player development is identifying players.

When it comes to identifying and the acquiring players via trade or off waivers, there is more synergy between the major-league staff, the front office, and the player development group. Assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio鈥檚 presence around both the minor-league organization and the major-league staff has been part of that. So have been practices that really gained traction last year and allow for major-league pitching coach Dusty Blake to have regular conversations with the minor-league pitching group and be on conversation with the front office as well when it comes to what鈥檚 possible with a pitcher they may acquire.

Analytics and data spot the stuff.

Conversation and coaches create a possible solution.

鈥淲hen you identify something you always want to have a solution for when you bring it in,鈥� Marmol said.

For Alcala, the Cardinals goal is to pinpoint where he loses command and tumbles into high walk rates. The right-hander has top-end fastball velocity (89th percentile) and solid hard-hit rates (86th percentile). But he鈥檚 also in the lower 7% when it comes to walk rate, and almost the lower third when trying to get hitters to chase pitches. He has walked 23 batters this season, 15 of them in 24 1/3 innings with the Twins before being acquired via trade by the Red Sox. Boston designated him for assignment this past week to open a spot in its bullpen.

He comes to the Cardinals with another year of control.

It鈥檚 whether they can give him the same over his pitches that will make that matter.

He has what they鈥檙e trying to gather, in quantity.

Stuff.

鈥淭hat is 100% correct,鈥� Marmol said.

Donovan late 鈥榩recautionary鈥� scratch

Leadoff hitter Brendan Donovan was a scratch from the lineup due to tightness in his left groin, the Cardinals announced Saturday evening. The move was described as 鈥減recautionary鈥� by a club official and it forward rewrite of the lineup. Lars Nootbaar, already starting at center field, moved up to leadoff and Thomas Saggese started at second base in Donovan鈥檚 place.

Since returning from representing the Cardinals at the All-Star Game, Donovan has hit .188 with a .260 on-base percentage and a .261 slugging percentage. His season average has dropped from .297 to .278 in that time, but he was recently pulled aside by a coach to show the metrics beyond the baseball card that clocked swing decisions and how hard he was hitting the ball. He found those number reassuring he said Saturday afternoon.

鈥淭hat makes you feel good about what you鈥檙e doing,鈥� Donovan said.

So, about that bunt

How Donovan has felt at the plate factored into one of the subtly vital moments during the Cardinals鈥� series victory at Dodger Stadium. In the third inning of the Wednesday鈥檚 game against Shohei Ohtani and Dodgers, the Cardinals got their first baserunner of the game when Jordan Walker鈥檚 popup was lost in the sun. Donovan read the situation 鈥� Ohtani delivering 100-mph fastballs, spinning well 鈥� and decided there was a way to take advantage of the gift runner.

He dropped a bunt.

鈥淗e鈥檚 obviously feeling really good, and 鈥� we weren鈥檛 getting a whole lot of traffic,鈥� Donovan said. 鈥淭ook a peek at third baseman was way back and he had just missed with a breaking ball. I had a really good feeling a fastball was coming but we weren鈥檛 squaring it up much, so I was trying to take what the game gave me.鈥�

Donovan bunted 100.1-mph fastball toward third base, and he was able to beat the throw for a single. Walker scored on the play for the game鈥檚 first run of a 5-3 victory that became a story about the Cardinals鈥� new-look bullpen and late-game rally, but needed the bunt to start. Donovan鈥檚 bunt produced the only run off Ohtani in four strong innings.

鈥淚 like to be a student of the game,鈥� Donovan said. 鈥淵ou take all of the factors in.鈥�

Arenado, etc.

Nolan Arenado鈥檚 emphasis in his first week at the team鈥檚 complex in Jupiter, Florida, will be strengthening his arm and shoulder. He also has a training facility that he uses in the area for added conditioning. The Cardinals do not expect Arenado to join their lineup during the upcoming Florida swing that has series in Miami (Aug. 18-20) and Tampa Bay (Aug. 21-24). 鈥� The shutout Friday night against the Cubs was the eighth of the season caught by Pedro Pages. The Cardinals鈥� catcher is just behind league-leaders who each have nine 鈥� William Contreras of Milwaukee and Elias Diaz of San Diego. Pages鈥� eight shutouts behind the plate are the most for a Cardinals catcher since guest coach Yadier Molina had nine in 2022.