Cardinals Option Ex-Mariners Trade Chip To Minors Following Solid Spring Training

St. Louis is busy dwindling the bullpen

May 7, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) delivers in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Lindsey Wasson-Imagn Images | Lindsey Wasson-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals moved one step closer to having their 2025 Opening Day roster set after optioning a former Seattle Mariners hurler to Triple-A Memphis.

One of the Cardinals' top priorities for the remainder of this offseason is to replace 2024 National League holds leader Andrew Kittredge -- now with the Baltimore Orioles -- in the back of the bullpen.

With several young St. Louis hurlers competing for the same chance to replace Kittredge, the Cardinals have decided that one reliever still has work to do in the club's farm system.

"Right-handed pitcher Riley O'Brien has been optioned to Memphis (AAA)," the organization announced Saturday morning. "Our Major League camp roster now stands at 44 players."

O'Brien, who missed most of the 2024 season due to a pesky right forearm flexor strain, returned this spring ready to fight for an Opening Day roster spot -- sacrificing zero earned runs on three hits, six strikeouts and two walks in three innings pitched for the Cardinals.

The former Mariners hurler was traded to St. Louis in Nov. 2023 for cash after failing to do much with Seattle -- spending most of his time pitching in the franchise's farm system.

With former Rule-5 Draft pick Ryan Fernandez, left-handed pitchers Matthew Liberatore, John King and JoJo Romero, RHPs Kyle Leahy and Chris Roycroft and newly acquired veteran Phil Maton competing for a position in the back of the Cardinals bullpen, it'll be interesting to see who emerges as Ryan Helsley's set-up man with Kittredge no longer in the picture.

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