St. Louis optioned Yepez to Triple-A Memphis on Friday.
Dylan Carlson (ankle) has been activated from the injured list in a corresponding 26-man roster move. Yepez, 25, carries a rough .214/.283/.381 batting line with two home runs in 20 games (46 plate appearances) this season at the major-league level.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Homers off bench Thursday
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Yepez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Thursday's 16-8 win over the Dodgers.
Yepez got in on the homer party despite not starting the contest -- he entered as a pinch hitter for Tommy Edman (abdomen) in the third inning and promptly hit a solo shot. There hasn't been much playing time for Yepez since he was recalled from Triple-A Memphis on May 5, but the Cardinals' outfield is starting to feel the impact of injuries. In addition to Edman, Dylan Carlson (ankle) and Tyler O'Neill (back) are nursing injuries. It's possible Yepez could serve as a platoon option in the corner outfielder positions in the near team. He's slashing .250/.276/.464 with two homers, two RBI and four runs scored through 29 plate appearances.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Heads to bench
Rotowire
Yepez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game in Boston.
After starting in each of the past three games while going 1-for-7 with a walk and a run scored, Yepez will cede left field to Brendan Donovan in the series finale. With Willson Contreras expected to transition back to full-time catching duties beginning with Monday's game against the Brewers, Donovan could end up shifting to second base while Nolan Gorman steps in as St. Louis' primary designated hitter. Assuming that's the case, Yepez could still have a path to seeing playing time in left field, though perhaps in the short side of a platoon.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Starting in left field Friday
Rotowire
Yepez is starting in left field and batting sixth Friday versus the Tigers.
Yepez was called up from Triple-A Memphis on Friday afternoon and will jump right into the Cardinals' starting lineup against the Tigers and left-hander Matthew Boyd. Yepez could see semi-regular action, especially versus lefties, as Tyler O'Neill recovers from a lower back strain. Alec Burleson is on the bench Friday.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Promoted from Triple-A
Rotowire
Yepez was recalled from Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals on Friday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
It's not clear yet what the corresponding move is, but John Denton of MLB.com hears that Alec Burleson could be optioned. Yepez is off to a slow start at Memphis this season with just a .751 OPS and three homers, but he clubbed 28 long balls between the majors and minors in 2022. He could see some starts against left-handers.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Optioned to Memphis
Rotowire
Yepez was optioned Saturday to Triple-A Memphis, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Yepez gets the boot to clear out a 26-man roster spot for Lars Nootbaar, who is back from a jammed left thumb. Yepez went 4-for-12 with a home run during his short time with the Cardinals and should eventually get a longer look.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Launches first homer
Rotowire
Yepez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 9-6 win over the Rockies.
Yepez has started three of seven games since he was called up to replace Lars Nootbaar (thumb) on the active roster. While opportunities have been limited, Yepez has done well to take advantage of them, going 4-for-12 (.333) over those three contests. The 25-year-old was one of the Cardinals' last cuts in camp, but he'll likely have to settle for a short-side platoon role if he stays on the roster once Nootbaar is activated from the injured list.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Replacing injured Nootbaar
Rotowire
Yepez was recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Monday, Bally Sports Midwest reports.
Yepez was sent to Triple-A to await an opening on the big-league roster, and he didn't have to wait long with Lars Nootbaar sidelined since Opening Day with a jammed thumb. Yepez should at least start against left-handed pitchers (Tuesday against Dylan Dodd, for instance) and he could get the occasional start against righties while he remains up.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Yepez was optioned to Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals on Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
A bit of a surprise, as Yepez came into camp with a good chance to be in the lineup for the Cardinals as the starting designated hitter with some reps in the outfield. Instead, the 25-year-old will begin the season in Triple-A Memphis. Yepez still has a chance to help fantasy teams and St. Louis before the end of the season, but he can safely be dropped -- or left undrafted -- in most formats.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Scratched from lineup Saturday
Rotowire
Yepez has been scratched from Saturday's lineup for undisclosed reasons, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Alec Burleson is now hitting second and playing left field in his place. There should be an update on why Yepez is out of the lineup shortly.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Dealing with swelling in shin
Rotowire
Yepez suffered significant swelling in his left shin after fouling a pitch off that area during batting practice Monday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Yepez went through fielding drills Tuesday in Cardinals camp but sat out of live BP sessions as a precautionary measure. He should be fine after a few more days of lighter workouts. The 25-year-old currently projects to operate as the semi-regular DH in St. Louis this season after registering a .742 OPS with 12 home runs over his first 76 major-league games in 2022.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Losing work to Dickerson, Pujols
Rotowire
Yepez is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Pittsburgh, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Now on the bench for the third game in a row, Yepez appears to be behind both Corey Dickerson and Albert Pujols in the pecking order in left field and at designated hitter, respectively. Since his call-up from Triple-A Memphis on Sept. 19, Yepez has gone 9-for-31 with a home run and three doubles in 10 games.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Moving into regular role
Rotowire
Yepez will start at third base and bat cleanup in Wednesday's game against the Brewers, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Though he'll be filling in for a resting Nolan Arenado on Wednesday, Yepez looks to have established himself as a near-everyday player in left field or at designated hitter as the regular season winds down. Playing time could be tougher to come by whenever Tyler O'Neill (hamstring) is activated from the injured list, but Yepez's recent form gives him a good chance at sticking around as a lineup regular over Corey Dickerson. Since his Sept. 19 call-up, Yepez has gone 7-for-18 with a pair of extra-base hits and a walk in six games. Meanwhile, Dickerson enters Wednesday's game in the midst of an 0-for-21 run over his past eight contests.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Activated, sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
Yepez (forearm) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Friday.
It was mistakenly reported that Yepez was activated from the IL and optioned to Triple-A on Thursday, but he instead appeared in one final rehab game with Memphis. The 24-year-old will remain with the Redbirds now that he's fully healthy, and it likely won't be too long before he's recalled to the big-league club. Yepez has appeared in 62 games during his first year in the majors and has a .254/.298/.459 slash line with 11 home runs and 27 RBI.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Not activated, still rehabbing
Rotowire
Yepez (forearm) remains on the 10-day injured list and will continue his rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis on Thursday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Earlier Wednesday, Denton reported that Yepez had been activated from the IL and optioned to Memphis, but the Cardinals haven't yet made any transaction related to the rookie. Instead, Yepez, who has been on the shelf since mid-July with a Grade 2 forearm strain, will get more work in Memphis after his rehab program had been slowed over the past few days by an illness. According to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, Yepez is scheduled to play nine innings in the outfield for Memphis on Thursday and Friday, so any potential roster move likely wouldn't come until Saturday at the soonest.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Activated, sent back to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cardinals reinstated Yepez (forearm) from the 15-day injured list Wednesday and optioned him to Triple-A Memphis, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Yepez was expected to come off the IL on Tuesday, but the Cardinals pushed his activation back a day after he contended with an illness over the weekend. Though the rookie is now seemingly over both the ailment and the right forearm strain that first sent him to the IL on July 15, the Cardinals don't have a spot in the everyday lineup available for him and will instead have him report to Triple-A so he can play regularly. Lars Nootbaar's emergence as the team's everyday right fielder along with Nolan Gorman and Albert Pujols forming a productive platoon at designated hitter have closed off Yepez's primary paths to at-bats.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Illness delays activation
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that Yepez (forearm) won't be activated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday while the 24-year-old looks to overcome an illness, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The ailment first cropped up Sunday, when Yepez was scheduled to make what was expected to be his fifth and final rehab appearance at Triple-A Memphis. He was scratched from Memphis' lineup Sunday but already seems to be showing improvement, as he worked out in St. Louis on Monday and Tuesday. Marmol suggested that Yepez could still benefit from a full game in the outfield before being activated from the IL, so it's possible that Yepez heads back to Memphis for one final contest. He should make his return from the IL no later than this weekend.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Could return Tuesday
Rotowire
Yepez (forearm) could be reinstated from the injured list as early as Tuesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Yepez began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday and has gone 3-for-11 with a run and a strikeout over three games. He'll play at least six innings in right field Saturday and is expected to play between six and nine innings in right field Sunday.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Starting rehab assignment Tuesday
Rotowire
Yepez (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Yepez will be eased into action by serving as the designated hitter and playing first base as he works through a throwing program. It's expected the 24-year-old will get at least one game in right field later in the assignment, so he's likely at least a week away from a return to the Cardinals, barring any setbacks.
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Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Hoping to start throwing Friday
Rotowire
Yepez said that he's no longer feeling discomfort in his strained right forearm while swinging the bat and is hopeful to resume a throwing program Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Completing a throwing program would likely be the final benchmark Yepez needs to reach in his recovery from the injury before heading out on what would likely be a brief minor-league rehab assignment. Yepez had been handling a near-everyday role for St. Louis prior to landing on the injured list in mid-July, but it's unclear if he'll immediately reclaim a regular spot in the lineup once he's activated.
