Cardinals activate infielder Paul DeJong, DFA Taylor Motter

The Cardinals have activated infielder Paul DeJong from the 10-day IL, per a team announcement. He’ll be in the starting lineup at shortstop for Sunday's game against the Mariners. To make room on the active roster, infielder Taylor Motter has been designated for assignment.

DeJong, 29, will look to bounce back from a brutal 2022 season that saw him slash just .157/.245/.286 in 77 games and get optioned to Triple-A, where he spent 51 games. That demotion to Triple-A seemed to help DeJong rediscover his bat, as he slashed .249/.313/.552 in 230 plate appearances.

The real surprise is the decision to DFA Motter. DeJong was already on the 40-man roster, and Motter had options remaining, meaning the club could have simply optioned him to Triple-A. Instead, the club will have seven days to trade, waive or release Motter. It’s not an unfamiliar situation for Motter, who has played for seven clubs across six season in the big leagues. Drafted by the Rays in the 17th round of the 2011 draft, Motter made his MLB debut in Tampa in 2016, and has since suited up for the Mariners, Twins, Rockies, Red Sox and Reds prior to joining the Cardinals on a minor league deal ahead of the 2023 season.

Motter hasn’t hit much to this point in his career, with just a .192/.264/.310 slash line in 466 plate appearances. Still, he provides valuable versatility, given his experience at every position on the diamond besides catcher and center field. He’ll likely clear waivers and look to latch on with another club on a minor league deal. After the move, the Cardinals’ 40-man roster stands at 39.