The St. Louis Cardinals signed veteran starting pitcher to a minor league contract on Friday, according to the team’s Player Development account on X (formerly Twitter). He, who previously pitched in the majors for the Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Angels, will join the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate in Memphis.
“We have signed RHP Him to a minor league contract and assigned him to Memphis (AAA),” the organization announced. He has a 27-28 career record with a 4.31 ERA over six MLB seasons with Cleveland and the Angels. He comes to us after going 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA in seven starts this year for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League.”
Once seen as a highly promising righty, He debuted with Cleveland in 2019, posting a 3.81 ERA over 21 starts. He followed that with an impressive 2.28 ERA during the shortened 2020 season. However, he hasn’t been able to return to that level since. From 2021 onward, Plesac has not recorded an ERA below 4.31. He remained with Cleveland through 2023 and briefly joined the Angels in 2024 before being released in August.
Now 30, Plesac gets a fresh opportunity with St. Louis. Given his minor league deal, the move is a low-risk one for the Cardinals and could potentially offer upside if he regains his form.
The Cardinals, sitting at 34-28, are performing solidly this season but trail the Chicago Cubs by five games in the NL Central. If Plesac pitches well in the minors, he might earn a call-up to bolster the club’s pitching depth.
St. Louis is gearing up for a key matchup Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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