By Chris Brown / STL Baseball Today | @cbrown_STLBBT | June 7, 2016, 3:19 pm CT
By Keith Allison / CC Image / No changes made
Exactly three months after the veteran infielder left spring training to return to St. Louis for a second opinion on his injured left thumb, Jhonny Peralta has returned to the Cardinals starting lineup, batting fifth and playing third base in the team’s new-look infield.
Signed to a four-year, $53 million contract prior to the 2014 season, Peralta has handled shortstop for the redbirds for the last two years, but with the emergence of rookie Aledmys Diaz, the veteran of 13 big-league seasons will now start at third. The 34-year-old has over 200 games of experience at third base in the majors, but hasn’t played the position since 2010 with Detroit.
Meanwhile, Matt Carpenter will shift over to the right side of the diamond, usually starting at second base, where he played in 132 games during his 2013 All-Star season.
The moving of two veteran players from the positions they’ve manned the past few seasons to keep Diaz at shortstop shows the confidence the Cardinals have in the 25-year-old Cuban infielder, who’s hitting .328 with 8 home runs and 30 RBIs on the season. and has steady improved in the field with each passing week.
With this shift in the infield, the struggling Kolten Wong was the odd man out, as the second baseman was optioned to AAA Memphis on Monday in preparation for Peralta’s return.
[Related: With Peralta set to return, Kolten Wong optioned to Memphis]
Signed to a five-year, $25.5 million contract extension just over three months ago, Wong was batting just .222 with one home run and five RBIs in 49 games this season. The 25-year-old will look to right the ship by getting regular playing time in the minors.
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After an off day on Monday, the redbirds are in Cincinnati to kick off a three game series with the Reds, who sit at fifth in the NL Central with a 21-36 record.
Here’s the redbirds’ starting lineup:
- Matt Carpenter – 2B
- Aledmys Diaz – SS
- Matt Holliday – LF
- Stephen Piscotty – RF
- Jhonny Peralta – 3B
- Matt Adams – 1B
- Yadier Molina – C
- Randal Grichuk – CF
- Mike Leake – SP
Leake, who will make his first start at Great American Ballpark with an opposing team, will square off against 25-year-old lefty John Lamb, who has a 5.58 ERA on the season but limited the Rockies to one run over seven innings in his last start against the Rockies.
More from STL Baseball Today:
With Peralta set to return, Kolten Wong optioned to Memphis
Matt Carpenter named National League Player of the Week
Quick Hits: Pena and Maness progressing, Cards sign pitcher Williams to minors deal
