Cardinals: 3 players who won’t be on the roster past the trade deadline

3) Packy Naughton will not be on the Cardinals roster past the trade deadline

If Lars Nootbaar isn’t your favorite name, maybe Packy Naughton is. Another A+ name that you’d guess was more St. Louis Browns than St. Louis Cardinals, Naughton has been one of several pitchers the team has used in the rotation to overcome the injuries they’ve suffered.

Unfortunately, Naughton has also been one of the more inconsistent guys as well. The 26-year-old lefty is far more suited for a bullpen role which the Cardinals should also be on the hunt for. Whatever the role they have in mind for Naughton, he’s not really a fit for a serious contender.

His first 15.2 innings of work includes 3 starts and 8 relief appearances. The results are a 0-2 record and 4.60 ERA. He has thrown strikes, resulting in a rate of only 1.8 walks per nine. As a reliever in Triple-A, he has posted good numbers as well. Naughton is 2-0 there in 17.2 innings of work with a 2.04 ERA.

Naughton has minor league options so he is unlikely to get traded away or released by the Cardinals. Instead, he’ll head back to Triple-A as the front office looks to find a better arm for the bullpen. The obvious players, currently on the COVID-IL, to replace him are Genesis Cabrera and T.J. McFarland.