Adam

Kloffenstein

Kloffenstein didn’t reach the majors with the Blue Jays after coming over from the Cardinals last offseason. The 25-year-old former third-round pick made one relief appearance for the Cardinals back in 2024 and posted a lackluster 6.30 FIP and 23.9 percent strikeout rate across 82 innings over 19 appearances at the Triple-A level this past season. He’s a low-risk depth addition for the Yankees.

Macko was shut down from throwing a couple weeks ago after suffering a meniscus tear in his left knee. The 24-year-old southpaw should be an option for Toronto’s bullpen at some point later this year, if he manages to avoid season-ending surgery.

Kloffenstein, who was signed to a minor league deal last month after being non-tendered by the Cardinals, was already a long shot to make the Jays out of spring training. This obviously won’t help.

Kloffenstein returns to the organization that drafted him with a third-round selection back in 2018. The right-hander was non-tendered after forging a 4.74 ERA in 17 starts for Memphis in 2024 while throwing a scoreless inning as a member of St. Louis.

Kloffenstein appears to be the Cardinals’ only non-tender, as all of their arbitration-eligible players were safe. Kloffenstein is an obvious candidate to be re-signed to a minor league deal. The 24-year-old pitched one scoreless inning in his major league debut for the Cardinals last season. He had a 4.74 ERA in 17 starts for Triple-A Memphis.

Kloffenstein was the corresponding move for the activation of Giovanny Gallegos from the injured list. The 23-year-old right-hander will return to the minors after tossing a scoreless inning in his first major league appearance on Thursday.

Kloffenstein provides St. Louis with some extra long relief depth behind Thursday’s starter Andre Pallante. The 23-year-old righty earns his first promotion to the majors after compiling a respectable 3.97 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 68/29 K/BB ratio over 77 innings (14 starts) this season for Triple-A Memphis.

The 23-year-old right-hander has posted a 3.97 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 68/29 K/BB ratio over 77 innings in 14 starts at Triple-A Memphis this season. It’s unclear if he’ll actually get an opportunity to start with the Cardinals, or will function as a long man out of their bullpen while he’s up. Either way, he’s unlikely to make a major impact for fantasy purposes.

Kloffenstein was always an extreme longshot to crack the Cardinals’ Opening Day rotation — even with the injury to Sonny Gray — so his demotion doesn’t come as a surprise. It also won’t be surprising to see him debut with the big league club at some point during the upcoming season, Kloffenstein registered a 3.16 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and a 140/55 K/BB ratio across 128 innings in 26 appearances (25 starts) between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Memphis in 2023.

Kloffenstein was part of the Jordan Hicks trade with the Blue Jays a couple months ago, so there was no way the Cardinals were going to expose him in next month’s Rule 5 Draft. The 23-year-old righty could be ready to make it to the big leagues at some point in 2024.