As initially shown on the MLB.com transaction tracker, the Cardinals selected reliever Anthony Veneziano off the Marlins’ waivers. He has been optioned to Triple-A Memphis, and Miami had designated him for assignment when they promoted outfielder Jakob Marsee last week.
At 6-foot-5, left-handed pitcher Anthony Veneziano brings a tall presence to the mound. Over the past three seasons, he’s made 38 appearances in the big leagues, putting together a decent overall performance. Across 36 and two-thirds innings, he’s posted a 3.93 ERA, while striking out just over 20% of the batters he’s faced and walking about 9%. His pitching style relies mainly on a slider that sits in the mid-80s (in miles per hour), paired with a fastball that averages around 94 mph. While his results in the majors have been solid overall, his recent outings in Triple-A haven’t been as encouraging he’s allowed eight earned runs over 12 games, and his 12 strikeouts against nine walks show some struggles with command.
The St. Louis Cardinals, meanwhile, have made several key moves that reshaped their bullpen. At the trade deadline, they dealt away Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton, all of whom had been contributors. Adding to the challenge, left-hander John King recently landed on the injured list with an oblique issue. That leaves JoJo Romero as the only healthy left-handed reliever currently available to manager Oli Marmol. Romero has stepped up into a bigger role—he notched his first save of the season on Saturday, helping secure what has been the team’s only win since they traded Helsley. With all the roster changes, Romero now stands as the club’s top bullpen arm and will likely see more chances in late-inning situations.
As for Veneziano, while he’s not expected to be added to the major league bullpen right away, he is currently the only other healthy lefty reliever on the team’s 40-man roster. That means he could be called upon soon if the Cardinals need another left-handed option out of the bullpen.