Cardinals News: St. Louis adds intriguing pitcher from Mariners

John Mozeliak looks on from the stands during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium on July 28, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
John Mozeliak looks on from the stands during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium on July 28, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
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The St. Louis Cardinals have added Ljay Newsome, an intriguing right-hander off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.

The offseason hasn’t even started yet and the St. Louis Cardinals are making roster additions, with their first move being an addition to bolster the depth of their pitching staff. On Friday, they claimed right-handed pitcher Ljay Newsome off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.

Newsome, 25, is still recovering from elbow surgery that he had this past season and could continue to rehab into the 2022 season. But he has an extensive history of throwing strikes — he struck out 20 hitters in 14.2 innings this past season — and that is something that all teams, especially the Cardinals, could use.

His numbers this season, however, were not impressive. He had a 7.98 ERA and allowed five home runs. He only issued three walks. In his last full season of health (2019), he had a 3.54 ERA in 155 innings while striking out 169, walking only 17 and allowing 16 home runs. It was enough for the Mariners to bet on him headed into 2021, but after a roster crunch that president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said resulted in parting with talented players, they decided to part ways.

And the Cardinals pounced, marking what is likely to be the first of many moves to address the pitching staff that has a plethora of players set to leave and/or be released. Jon Lester, J.A. Happ, Andrew Miller and others are set to become free agents and Carlos Martinez, a struggling right-hander, is going to have his club option declined.

It’s possible that the Cardinals bring Lester back, but the pitching staff will have plenty of new faces next season. They figure to bring in an established major-leaguer or two, but also will attempt a few lottery ticket additions — and Newsome fits that description.

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But when the World Series ends, the Cardinals won’t be able to place players on the 60-day injured list, which Newsome is currently on. As Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch describes, the Cardinals will have to place Newsome on waivers to remove him from the 40-man roster while retaining his control or keep him on the 40-man and utilize the 60-day IL when it becomes available.