ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals made a pitching move on Monday that may not come as a huge shock to those who have been following the team.
The Cardinals recalled left-handed reliever Brandon Waddell from Memphis and in return designated pitcher Daniel Ponce de Leon for assignment.
Ponce de Leon has now been removed from the Cardinals' 40-man roster and can be traded or picked up by another team on waivers.
The Cardinals drafted Ponce de Leon in the ninth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He made his Major League debut with the club in 2018 and has compiled a 3-8 record with a 4.33 ERA in 147 and two-thirds innings as a Cardinal.
In 2021, Ponce de Leon is 1-1 with a 6.21 ERA and a 1.620 WHIP.
Ponce de Leon and Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina were recently caught on the broadcast camera getting into an altercation in the dugout during a Sept. 14 game in New York against the Mets. He has not appeared in a game for the team since then.
Waddell, 27, has appeared in four games as a reliever for the Cardinals in 2021, pitching to the tune of a 4.15 ERA .