The St. Louis Cardinals continue to make changes to their bullpen as they search for more consistency on the pitching staff. Their latest move involved parting ways once again with left-handed reliever Jared Shuster after activating right-hander Matt Pushard from the 15-day injured list. The decision marks the second time this season that Shuster has been designated for assignment, highlighting the constant roster juggling the Cardinals have been forced to do with their relief corps.
Shuster’s first DFA came back on April 13 after a brief stint with the major league club. During that appearance, he pitched in only two games and allowed two earned runs across 3.2 innings. After being removed from the roster, the Cardinals were fortunate enough to get him through waivers without another team claiming him. That allowed the organization to send him outright to Triple-A Memphis, where he remained available as bullpen depth.
Not long ago, St. Louis brought Shuster back to the big league roster before a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. To create room for him at the time, the Cardinals designated another reliever, Luis Peralta, for assignment. The move suggested the club still believed Shuster could provide value as a left-handed bullpen option, especially with the team continuing to search for reliable innings from its relief pitchers.
However, Shuster’s second opportunity with the Cardinals turned out to be just as short-lived as the first. He appeared in only two more games, covering four innings of work before once again being removed from the roster. Now, the Cardinals will hope history repeats itself and that Shuster clears waivers a second time, allowing them to keep him in the organization at Triple-A Memphis for additional depth.
The corresponding roster move brings back Matt Pushard, a pitcher the Cardinals hope can provide stability to a bullpen that has struggled with inconsistency throughout the season. Pushard has not appeared for St. Louis since the early part of the year after suffering right patellar tendinitis, which landed him on the injured list shortly after his Cardinals debut.
Pushard is an intriguing arm because he was selected by the Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft from the Miami Marlins organization during the offseason. As a Rule 5 pick, the Cardinals do not have the flexibility to freely send him to the minors without first exposing him to waivers and potentially losing him. That means Pushard will likely receive a real opportunity to prove he belongs in the major league bullpen.
During his rehab assignment, Pushard made 11 appearances and posted a respectable 3.55 ERA. He also recorded strikeouts at a decent rate, averaging 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Still, command issues remain a concern. He walked six batters while allowing 12 hits over 12.2 innings, numbers that show he still has room for improvement before becoming a dependable late-inning option.
If Pushard struggles to lock down a role, the Cardinals could once again turn to other bullpen arms for help. Pitchers such as Ryan Fernandez and Chris Roycroft remain possible options, while Max Rajcic has also started drawing attention with his strong transition into a relief role this season. For now, though, the Cardinals are hoping Pushard can become a valuable contributor and help strengthen a bullpen that has lacked reliable depth for much of the year.
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