By Chris Brown / STL Baseball Today | @cbrown_STLBBT | June 3, 2016, 11:04 pm CT
Jhonny Peralta is likely to be activated by the Cardinals on Tuesday, and will take over as the club’s starting third baseman. By Keith Allison / CC Image / No changes made
After a hand cut that required three stitches delayed his rehab assignment a few days, Jhonny Peralta is likely to be activated by the Cardinals on Tuesday in Cincinnati after playing with Class A Advanced Palm Beach over the weekend, general manager John Mozeliak said on 101 ESPN Friday morning.
“I spoke with him yesterday and he’s pretty confident that he’ll be ready to go,” the GM said prior to the club’s game against the Giants (per MLB.com’s Joe Trezza). “In this case we’ve been able to be a little more patient, so I think from a strength standpoint he’s about where he needs to be.”
When Peralta returns, though, it won’t be to the starting shortstop role he’s held for the last two seasons.
As detailed here at STLBaseballToday.com on Sunday and reiterated by Mozeliak on Friday, the 34-year-old veteran will take over as the club’s starting third baseman thanks to the emergence of rookie Aledmys Diaz, who will remain the starter at shortstop.
“I feel like (Peralta’s return is) going to create a fresh opportunity for us, but I also feel like given what you’re seeing out of Diaz at his age (25) you really need to see him develop at shortstop,” Mozeliak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch over the weekend.
[Related – Mozeliak: Diaz to remain Cardinals’ primary shortstop when Peralta returns]
Aledmys Diaz will remain the Cardinals starting shortstop when Jhonny Peralta returns, while Matt Carpenter will shift over to second base on most days. Image: St. Louis Cardinals / Twitter
After a sensational start at the plate and rough start in the field, Diaz has largely settled in with the glove recently, while his production at the plate has come back down to earth.
Peralta, who was slated to start the season at shortstop prior to tearing a thumb ligament in a spring training game, does have over 200 games played at third base in the majors, although he hasn’t manned the position since 2010 with Detroit.
As for further implications, Matt Carpenter will shift over to the right side of the diamond on most days, primarily taking at-bats away from Kolten Wong at second base for at least the time being. Carpenter played in 132 games at second base during his 2013 All-Star season and also has 57 games of experience at first base in the majors.
Wong, playing in the first season of a five-year, $25.5 million contract, was hitting just .225/.312/.292 this year and .235/.296/.307 since July 1 of the 2015 campaign headed into play on Friday.
“Obviously at-bats are going to become harder and harder, so clearly it comes down to performance,” Mozeliak said prior to Friday night’s game. “At any point, if [Wong] were to take off and get moving, he would find playing time.”
Jedd Gyorko and Greg Garcia have also been productive players for the redbirds this season, meaning some tough decisions are certainly coming up for the club.
The upcoming infield situation will undoubtedly be one of the top storylines in the near future for a Cardinals team struggling to advance more than a few games beyond .500.
More from STL Baseball Today:
Quick Hits: Pena and Maness progressing, Cards sign pitcher Williams to minors deal
Redbirds Roundup: Moss’ pinch-hit homer ties Cards record, Reyes impresses again
Aside from Molina, NL All-Star balloting not kind to Cards thus far
Report: Cardinals ‘unlikely’ to receive any hacking punishment before June draft
