Cardinals DFA Hard-Throwing Righty After Rough Season To Open Roster Spot

The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of the most active clubs in baseball this offseason.

St. Louis clearly had plenty of holes to fill after winning just 71 games and it has done a lot to fill them. The Cardinals have significantly boosted both the starting rotation and bullpen this offseason and should be considered one of the top teams in the National League Central.

The Cardinals' latest intriguing move was bringing in former Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees reliever Keynan Middleton. 

To make room on the roster for Middleton, St. Louis designated hurler Guillermo Zuñiga for assignment, according to MLB.com's John Denton.

"St. Louis Cardinals announce that they have designated (right-handed pitcher) Guillermo Zuñiga for assignment to make room for (right-handed pitcher) Keynan Middleton being added to the 40-player Major League roster," Denton said. "The Cards’ roster is once again at 40 players."

Zuñiga is just 25 years old and has seven seasons of professional baseball under his belt. The righty signed with the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent in 2016 and made his professional debut that season. 

Since then, he has spent time in the minors in the Braves' farm system, the Los Angeles Dodgers' system, and with the Cardinals. Zuñiga worked his way up to the big leagues and debuted with St. Louis in 2023 and appeared in two games and allowed one earned run.

The young righty has some upside but now could end up looking for his next opportunity unless he ends up back in the Cardinals' farm system.