St. Louis Cardinals call up Gordon Graceffo from Triple-A Memphis

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The St. Louis Cardinals are set to call up Gordon Graceffo from Triple-A Memphis ahead of the club's game against the Cincinnati Reds Friday night.

Following Thursday night's blowout loss to the Reds, The Athletic's Katie Woo reported the club is expected to call up the Villanova product, with the plan set to see him come out of the bullpen and help alleviate a taxed bullpen.

On Friday, the Cardinals officially called up Graceffo, with Kyle Leahy being optioned down to Triple-A Memphis. To make room for Graceffo on the 40-man roster, the team moved starter Steven Matz to the 60-Day IL.

Graceffo was drafted in the fifth round in 2021 and has spent the last two seasons in Memphis at Triple-A. Graceffo's first season at Memphis in 2023 was rough, posting a 4.92 ERA, but he also dealt with injury trouble in his first season with the Redbirds.

This season at Memphis, Graceffo has been solid, posting a 3.84 ERA through 14 starts and striking out 70 batters in 75 innings.

Graceffo's presence will be needed to help a Cardinals that has been taxed the past two days, from nearly all of the Cardinals bullpen pitchers needing to play in a doubleheader with the Braves, along with a few of them having had to eat up innings in a 11-4 blowout loss to the Reds.

The Cardinals are set to likely play a bullpen game again Friday with Andre Pallante starting the game.

Matthew Liberatore, Giovanny Gallegos, and John King are all unlikely to be available Friday night, leaving the Cardinals bullpen limited to Ryan Fernandez, JoJo Romero, Ryan Helsley, Andrew Kittridge as options out the bullpen Friday night.

If Pallante's start ends up being rather short, the presence of Graceffo out of the bullpen to rack up innings will be very much needed.

Alongside the news the Cardinals will call up Graceffo, the Cardinals also announced outfielder Lars Nootbaar will go on a rehab assignment.