Cardinals Writer Explains Why Spring Training Standout Didn't Make Roster

This was one of the Cardinals' most puzzling decisions.

Mar 4, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images | Rich Storry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have set their Opening Day roster for 2025. It was a quiet and painful offseason that didn't feature much movement. No trades were made, and they only signed one free agent to a Major League deal.

The final roster decisions were announced on Sunday, and some of the decisions left fans rightfully puzzled. The decision that caused the most confusion was having right-hander Michael McGreevy start the 2025 season in Triple-A Memphis.

McGreevy pitched well in spring and even tossed five scoreless innings against the New York Mets on Friday. John Denton of MLB.com explained the rationale behind this decision.

"Right-handed pitcher Michael McGreevy will start the season at Triple-A despite pitching extremely well in Spring Training. Manager Oli Marmol said sending McGreevy to Triple A provides a layer of injury protection for the starting staff in St. Louis," Denton tweeted.

While the move does allow for some flexibility in case of an injury, the Cardinals still have plenty of options down at Triple-A, so demoting McGreevy was ultimately not necessary.

The right-hander went 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA last season and carried that success over into spring training, so starting him in Memphis doesn't make much sense.

Still, it likely won't be long before he is called up and given a chance. Injuries could allow him an opportunity to pitch in the Major Leagues, and he has proven that he is MLB ready.

It will be interesting to see when the Cardinals decide they need an extra arm and choose to promote him.

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