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Cade Winquest to Make MLB Debut for Cardinals After Strzelecki's Injury
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- Cade Winquest to Make MLB Debut for Cardinals After Strzelecki's Injury
Cade Winquest is finally set to make his Major League Baseball debut after the St. Louis Cardinals selected his contract from Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.
Winquest had already spent time on a major league roster this season without appearing in a game. After being selected by the New York Yankees in the December Rule 5 Draft, the 26-year-old right-hander made New York's Opening Day roster for 19 days before being designated for assignment and returning to St. Louis .
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The Cardinals' decision comes after right-handed reliever Peter Strzelecki was placed on the 15-day injured list with extensor inflammation in his right forearm.
The Cardinals officially announced Winquest's contract selection in a post on their X account, confirming that the right-hander will wear No. 63.
Winquest earned the opportunity after transitioning into a full-time bullpen role at Triple-A Memphis. He has recorded 57 strikeouts against 14 walks over 39.2 innings, producing a 4.54 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.
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His fastball combination has also helped him generate plenty of ground balls. Winquest's four-seam fastball has averaged 95.2 mph, while his sinker has averaged 95.6 mph. He has posted a 51.1% ground-ball rate.
The timing gives the Cardinals another fresh arm as their pitching staff deals with a difficult stretch. St. Louis entered Thursday at 66-68, 16.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central and roughly five games out of the final NL Wild Card position.
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Strzelecki's injury created the immediate roster opening, but Winquest's performance in Memphis earned him the opportunity to fill it.
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After spending part of the season technically belonging to the major leagues without throwing a pitch, Winquest now has a chance to erase that unusual footnote.
The next time manager Oliver Marmol calls for the right-hander, Winquest will finally get the opportunity he has been waiting for: his first MLB appearance.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
