Cardinals Place Ramon Urias on Injured List With Elbow Injury, Recall Thomas Saggese
The St. Louis Cardinals have been dealt another setback to their infield depth after placing veteran third baseman Ramon Urias on the 10-day injured list Tuesday due to right elbow lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow.
Urias becomes the latest Cardinals player sidelined by injury as the club continues to manage roster adjustments during the early portion of the season. The move comes after the 31-year-old appeared to experience discomfort during Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Urias went 0-for-2 in that contest before being removed late in the game, with Nolan Gorman entering as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning before taking over defensively at third base in the eighth.
To fill the vacancy on the active roster, St. Louis recalled infielder/outfielder Thomas Saggese from Triple-A Memphis just one day after optioning him to the minors. The quick turnaround gives Saggese another opportunity to contribute at the major league level as the Cardinals look for additional flexibility around the diamond.
Urias’ first season in St. Louis has been a difficult one offensively. Through 25 games, he has hit just .158 with two home runs and five RBIs, struggling to provide consistent production at the plate. While his defensive reputation has remained solid, his bat had yet to fully come around before the injury interrupted his campaign.
Despite the slow start this season, Urias entered 2026 with a proven track record as a dependable veteran infielder. Across his major league career, which includes stops with the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, and now the Cardinals, Urias owns a .254 career batting average with 52 home runs and 220 RBIs over 566 regular-season games.
His strongest season came in 2022 when he captured the American League Gold Glove Award at third base, cementing his status as one of the league’s top defenders at the position. He also contributed offensively in limited postseason action during his time with Baltimore, batting .333 in three playoff games across the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
The Cardinals signed Urias in February to a one-year contract worth a reported $1.5 million for the 2026 season. The deal also includes a mutual option for 2027 valued at $4 million, with a $500,000 buyout if the option is declined.
Now, the Cardinals will temporarily turn to Saggese to help cover for Urias’ absence. The 24-year-old has shown flashes of potential but is still searching for consistency at the major league level. In 18 games with St. Louis this season, Saggese has hit .170 with two RBIs while continuing to adjust to big-league pitching.
Over 118 career MLB games, Saggese owns a .239 batting average with three home runs and 31 RBIs. Though his offensive numbers have been modest so far, the Cardinals value his versatility and potential upside, making him a logical choice for another call-up.
St. Louis will hope Urias’ injury proves to be minor and that the veteran can return quickly after the minimum stay on the injured list. In the meantime, the Cardinals must once again rely on their depth as they navigate another injury challenge during what has been an eventful start to the 2026 campaign.
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