Shane

Robinson

Robinson spent last year in the Phillies’ organization, and in 88 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley he hit .288/.367/.389. The 35-year-old last appeared in the major leagues in 2018 with the Angels, and he will probably be nothing more than organizational outfield depth for Atlanta in 2020.

The deal presumably includes an invitation to spring training, but Robinson seems doubtful to crack the Opening Day roster in Philadelphia. The 34-year-old outfielder has batted just .169/.244/.225 over his last 200 major league plate appearances dating back to the beginning of the 2016 season.

The 33-year-old hit just .143/.208/.224 with one homer and two RBI in his 54 plate appearances with the Bombers this season.

Komatsu, who was selected from the Nationals in December’s Rule 5 draft, is batting .280 (15-for-50) with two doubles, two triples, eight RBI and six stolen bases this spring. He’ll add an element of speed to the Cardinals’ bench. Shane Robinson was also told that he made the team, which means that Allen Craig (knee) will almost certainly begin the season on the disabled list.

Robinson got off to a surprisingly good start at the plate while receiving occasional playing time, and he’s a terrific defensive center fielder. In reality, though, he’s not much with the bat and is eminently replaceable as an extra outfielder.

Jay was diagnosed with a partial separation of his shoulder following an MRI exam on Monday. There’s no structural damage and a shoulder separation is considered far less serious than a dislocation, but it’s unlikely he’ll be available to hit until this weekend. Shane Robinson, Skip Schumaker and Erik Komatsu will continue to share playing time in center field.

Robinson also played solid defense in center field. The home run -- a towering shot to left field in the top of the ninth inning -- was the 27-year-old’s first in the major leagues. He’s serving as a reserve outfielder while Allen Craig recovers from offseason knee surgery.

It’s just a routine off day for Jay, who’s batting .379/.432/.494 with 16 runs scored this season. Shane Robinson is starting in center field against the D’Backs.

Details are scarce for now and it’s unclear when Beltran sustained the strain. We do know that it’s being called a “mild” issue. But for a 35-year-old outfielder, even minor pulls are scary. Shane Robinson is a prime candidate to pick up starts and Allen Craig’s arrow continues to point up.

Beltran went 4-for-5 with two home runs and a career-high seven RBI on Wednesday night, but it was his 17th straight game and the Cardinals have to be cautious about his health. Shane Robinson is starting in right field Thursday afternoon as St. Louis looks to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Pirates.