Cardinals notebook: Reyes, Cabrera emerging as tag-team knockout providers from bullpen (2024)

PITTSBURGH — The route wasn’t as direct as the Cardinals had mapped in March for their left-right, late-inning tag team, but after a belated arrival to “Summer Camp” and a detour through Springfield, Missouri, Genesis Cabrera and Alex Reyes have reached their intended destinations.

“I think we both came into ‘Summer Camp’ and we both tested positive for COVID-19, and we didn’t take that in a negative way,” Reyes said. “We worked our butts off. We put ourselves in position to be available. That’s all you can ask for, for a guy out of the pen. Whatever the situation they want to use us for, I’m sure he’s available.

“And I’m ready as well.”

Reyes nabbed his second win of the season Friday when he entered with two runners on base and the tying run in scoring position. He retired five of the next six batters he faced to deliver the save opportunity to Ryan Helsley. Reyes relieved Cabrera, and this month they have linked as a late-inning, multi-inning duo for manager Mike Shildt.

In 10 of Reyes’ 13 appearances, Cabrera has also appeared. Reyes’ last five appearances have either come in relief of Cabrera or as the opening act. They’re mirror relievers. They come at lineups from opposite directions in the same way, from the velocity they offer right down to the No. 29 righthander Reyes wears and the No. 92 lefty Cabrera does.

“You’re talking about both guys with plus stuff, and both guys who are welcoming and embracing higher leverage situations,” Shildt said. “And they are showing the ability to slow things down and execute with plus-stuff that they have. That’s the next step for any player — is to be able to get the most out of their ability consistently.”

Shildt revealed that both Reyes and Cabrera were going to be in the Cardinals’ opening day bullpen — coming out of spring training “a hundred years ago,” the manager said. The team bet that Reyes, who missed most of the previous three seasons with elbow and shoulder surgeries, needed “touches” to get a feel for his command, and those could come in the majors. The idea was to have both relievers ready to go multiple innings and offer late-game stuff for midgame assignments.

In a shortened season and after an outbreak that thrust the Cardinals into quarantine, the length they could offer in relief became more valuable, and a twist to the rules made using them ever more accessible. With a DH in all games and a three-batter minimum, the Cardinals can let matchups guide relief appearances and success determine their length, not when that spot comes up in the batting order.

Cabrera and Reyes combined to throw 2 2/3 innings in Game 1 on Friday — but neither started a clean inning. Reyes appeared in three different innings, but as a former and future starter he has a feel for going through the breaks in throws. In six of his past seven appearances, Reyes has gone at least an inning and allowed zero earned runs. His 17 appearances this season are the most he’s had since 2016, when he was a rookie. He has thrown so few times in the majors since that he still has rookie eligibility.

“As a player you want to be in those tough situations,” Reyes said. “It goes back to being a little kid and you’re acting like it’s the ninth inning, 3-2, bases loaded. That, for me — that’s what I’ve always liked about being in competitive spots. That’s not going to change whenever my name is called. I’m available. One-run game, tie game, three-run lead, five-run lead — it doesn’t really matter.”

Gallegos, Fowler better

Giovanny Gallegos, the Cardinals’ closer most of the season, threw a bullpen session Saturday and completed a series of fielding drills to make sure there wasn’t any lingering limitations or concern for a groin injury that placed him on the injured list. He had no difficulty with any of the actions, and his return could be “sooner rather than later,” Shildt said.

The Cardinals are preparing to have Gallegos and outfielder Dexter Fowler (stomach ailment) join the team in Kansas City. The club has tried to minimize travel however possible, and the two players can drive themselves across Missouri to avoid commercial flights. It’s possible one or both could be available by Monday at the start of a three-game series.

Rotation, etc.

After his sturdy five innings on short rest Friday, the team returned Daniel Ponce de Leon to the alternate-site roster, though he won’t be there for long. The Cardinals had their rotation mapped out for Kansas City with Adam Wainwright on Monday and Carlos Martinez on Wednesday. Rookie Johan Oviedo is likely to start Tuesday, in place of Dakota Hudson (forearm strain). That would set up Ponce de Leon to be part of Friday’s doubleheader against Milwaukee. … Shortstop Paul DeJong joined a luminous list of Cardinals with the most rudimentary of RBIs on Friday. DeJong had a sacrifice fly in both halves of a doubleheader, and according to research by Tom Orf, the other Cardinals to do that have all been elected to the Cardinals Hall of Fame: Tom Herr, Tim McCarver, Lou Brock, Curt Flood, Ken Boyer, and Stan Musial.