Cardinals Lose 24-Year-Old Hurler to IL; Promote Gordon Graceffo

The St. Louis Cardinals lost another arm on Monday.

St. Louis announced that right-handed pitcher Max Rajcic has been placed on the Injured List with a right elbow injury. In his place, the Cardinals promoted right-handed pitcher Gordon Graceffo back up to the big league roster in his place.

"RHP Gordon Graceffo has been recalled from Memphis (AAA)," the Cardinals announced. "RHP Max Rajcic has been placed on the 15-day IL (right elbow), retroactive to July 4."

RHP Gordon Graceffo has been recalled from Memphis (AAA).

RHP Max Rajcic has been placed on the 15-day IL (right elbow), retroactive to July 4. pic.twitter.com/OrxjyxvXi0
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 6, 2026

As of writing, the Cardinals haven't announced an official diagnosis for Rajcic. After the Cardinals announced Rajcic to the Injured List, St. Louis manager Oli Marmol shared that he has elbow soreness and is going out for a second opinion. Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reported the news on X.

The Cardinals Are Waiting For Answers About Max Rajcic

Jul 1, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Max Rajcic (71) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Marmol said Max Rajcic had some elbow soreness after his outing on Friday and wasn’t available after that. Cardinals are sending him for a second opinion, so TBD on a diagnosis," Jones wrote.

Rajcic has pitched in six games for the Cardinals this season and has a 5.00 ERA to show for it. His last outing was on July 3. It's unfortunate to lose Rajcic, but getting Graceffo back is positive. The fact that he was sent down to the minors was a bit surprising. He has actually been one of the club's most consistent relievers all season to this point. He has appeared in 35 games this season for the Cardinals and he has a 3.35 ERA.

Graceffo actually has the second-lowest ERA among relievers for the club with over 30 appearances this season just behind George Soriano, who has a 3.29 ERA in 39 outings this season.

Frankly, there's no reason for Graceffo to not be on the big league roster.

So, it's tough for St. Louis to lose Rajcic, but the club fortunately will have Graceffo back in the mix. For now, the Cardinals will need to wait to know exactly how long Rajcic will actually be out. Hopefully, it's just the 15 days and then he'll be able to get back on track. That won't be known until the club gets the second opinion.

The Cardinals will kick off their biggest series of the season on Monday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. It's a five-game affair that will have a significant impact on whether the Cardinals can stay in playoff contention. The Brewers are the second-best team in the National League right now, behind just the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Cardinals are in the middle of a 14-game gauntlet in which they are facing the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and the Brewers. The Cardinals took two out of three games against the Braves and Cubs and now move on to the Brewers before concluding the stretch with another series against the Braves. Unfortunately, Rajcic won't be with the Cardinals for the Brewers series or the next Braves series, but hopefully his absence won't extend beyond the 15 days.

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