Thomas

Saggese

Italy also got homers from Kyle Teel and Owen Ayers, a Cubs prospect who was borrowed for the day. Between the Ramón Urías signing and JJ Wetherholt’s hot start, Saggese is facing increased competition to make the Cardinals. The team probably wouldn’t carry both Wetherholt and Saggese unless there was fairly regular playing time available for both.

Saggese has a big opportunity to win a starting spot in Cardinals camp with Nolan Arenado and Brandon Donovan gone, but he’ll take a little time away in the process. Italy is looking at a lefty-heavy lineup of something like this in the WBC: CF Jakob Marsee, C Kyle Teel, 1B Vinnie Pasquantino, LF Zach Dezenzo, DH Dominic Canzone, RF Jac Caglianone, 2B Saggese, 3B Miles Mastrobuoni and SS Jon Berti. Aaron Nola and Michael Lorenzen will lead the pitching staff, with former Team USA reliever Adam Ottavino coming out of the pen.

Three prospects and two picks, which are set to be 68th or 69th and 72nd or 73rd overall, seems like a fair return for Donovan, who departs two years before becoming eligible for free agency. The move comes just one day after the Mariners revealed that Cijntje, the switch-pitching 2024 first-round pick, would focus on being a right-handed starter this spring and would likely be limited to throwing bullpen sessions left-handed. We’ll have to wait and see if the Cardinals feel the same way. Cijntje throws considerably harder right-handed and projects as a mid-rotation starter used traditionally. He had a 4.58 ERA in 74 2/3 innings in High-A and a 2.67 ERA in 33 2/3 innings in Double-A last year, and he’s probably still a full season away from contributing in the majors. With Donovan joining Nolan Arenado in exiting, the Cardinals now have two starting infield spots available for Nolan Gorman, José Fermín, Thomas Saggese and top prospect JJ Wetherholt. It seems likely that Gorman will get one of them against righties, no matter how little he’s done lately to deserve it.

Saggese knocked a base hit in the first inning, then gave the Cardinals a three-run lead with a two-run homer off Andrew Abbott in the third inning for his second home run of the season. The 23-year-old infielder is hitting .263/.302/.347 with 23 runs scored and 23 RBI across 253 plate appearances.

Winn has been shut down for the final two weeks of the season and is slated to undergo arthroscopic surgery in near future to repair damage to the meniscus in his right knee. The 23-year-old likely upcoming Gold Glove Award-winning shortstop is expected to be ready for spring training. He finishes his second big-league campaign with an underwhelming .253/.310/.363 triple-slash line with 72 runs scored, nine home runs, 51 RBI and nine stolen bases in 537 plate appearances over 129 games. It’ll be Thomas Saggese and José Fermín taking over at shortstop in his absence to wrap up the season.

One was a double, though that was his softest-hit ball of the game. It’s Saggese’s first four-hit game as a major leaguer, and he’s now batting .256/.299/.330 in 232 plate appearances. The lack of power production is an issue, but the exit velocity is there; he has a 44% hard-hit rate and he’s managed eight barrels, though just one has turned into a homer.

It’ll be Thomas Saggese taking over at shortstop. Winn has been battling through a lingering left knee issue this season, which has required the occasional maintenance day. There should be an additional update on his status following the contest.

Injuries to Nolan Arenado and Brandon Donovan have really opened the door for Gorman and Thomas Saggese here, but the current results aren’t providing a lot of hope that either will be a quality regular for the Cardinals next season. Gorman’s power just doesn’t quite make up for his inability to hit for average and his mediocre defense. He’s batting .214/.313/.396. Saggese, who committed two errors today, is hitting .254/.296/.333 in 204 plate appearances.

It’s a rare off day for Winn, who has been playing through a lingering knee issue for the majority of the season. Thomas Saggese is at shortstop on Sunday afternoon in his place. The 23-year-old shortstop has made six straight starts since missing a game last weekend with left knee pain.

The 23-year-old has settled into an everyday role as the Cardinals’ second baseman and has gone 19-for-68 (.279) with five RBI and two steals in 20 games in August. The counting stats have not been great, but Saggese is a solid hitter and has had some 20-home run seasons in the minors, so he could be worth an add in deeper formats.