The Cardinals optioned Siani to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
He played sparingly behind starting center fielder Victor Scott, accruing only 17 plate appearances thus far. Siani will play more regularly at Memphis as he waits for another opportunity with the big club.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Just four starts so far
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Siani went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Friday's loss to the Mets.
Siani was making just his fourth start of the season, although he has appeared in a total of 15 games because he often enters as a pinch runner and/or defensive replacement. It came down to the wire between Siani and Victor Scott for the Cardinals' center field job out of spring training, but Scott won it and has been an everyday player, starting 18 of 20 games. Siani could get optioned to Triple-A Memphis when Masyn Winn (back) returns from the 10-day injured list Tuesday if the club wants added protection at shortstop with Thomas Saggese.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Starting season as reserve
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Victor Scott will be St. Louis' Opening Day center fielder, pushing Siani to a bench role, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Siani and Scott competed for the starting role in center field this spring, and Scott pulled away with outstanding numbers during the exhibition slate while Siani has posted an ugly .334 OPS over 47 plate appearances. Siani will still make the Opening Day roster, but he's slated to work as the Cardinals' fourth outfielder. Both Scott and Siani are left-handed batters, so if Scott performs well, he could be in the lineup nearly every day against both righties and lefties.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Good to go Friday
Rotowire
Siani (illness) is starting in center field and batting leadoff in Friday's split-squad game against the Mets, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The outfielder has been battling an illness this week but is ready to return to spring action Friday. Siani is competing with Victor Scott for the starting job in center field, and both players will get a start at the position in separate split-squad games. Siani has gone 4-for-40 through 13 appearances in spring training, while Scott has torn the cover off the ball with a 1.133 OPS.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Scratched Monday with illness
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The Cardinals scratched Siani from the lineup for Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals due to an illness, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Victor Scott -- who looks to be Siani's main competition for primary duties in center field to begin the season -- will shift over from left field to replace Siani. Assuming he can quickly shake off the illness, Siani will have a few more opportunities this spring to stake his claim to a near-everyday role. The 25-year-old Siani drew high marks for his defense last season, but aside from going 20-for-23 in stolen-base attempts, his fantasy profile was relatively hollow. Siani hit just .228 with two home runs, 42 runs and 20 RBI over his 334 plate appearances, most of which came at the bottom of the lineup.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Competing for center field job
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Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol considers the center field job an open competition between Siani, Victor Scott and Lars Nootbaar, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
If the Cardinals had been able to trade Nolan Arenado, Nootbaar would've been slated for everyday left fielder duty. With Arenado still around -- at least for now -- Brendan Donovan will see more time in left field, which would push Nootbaar to center. Siani and Scott are the superior defenders, though, and will have an opportunity to stake their claim to the job. The 26-year-old Siani led St. Louis with 96 starts in center field in 2024 and is an elite defender, but he was one of the worst hitters in baseball with a lowly .570 OPS.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Reaches 20-steal mark
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Siani went 1-for-2 with a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 7-3 win over the Rockies.
Amid a 4-for-37 skid over his last 13 games, Siani's playing time has taken a hit. He's still picked up five steals over his last 15 contests, giving him 20 thefts on 23 attempts this season. The center fielder is at a .237/.286/.296 slash line with two home runs, 20 RBI and 40 runs scored through 119 games. While his defense has kept him in the lineup regularly, Siani could lose playing time to Victor Scott while the latter is on the major-league roster.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: On bench vs. right-hander again
Rotowire
Siani is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
The left-handed-hitting Siani has now been excluded from the lineup twice during the series with Cleveland, with both absences coming against right-handed starting pitchers. Thomas Saggese cracked the lineup in Siani's stead Friday, but Matt Carpenter will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter Sunday while Lars Nootbaar slides over from left field to cover Siani's usual spot in center field.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: On bench Friday
Rotowire
Siani is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Guardians on Friday.
Siani is batting .128 in 15 games since returning from the injured list in early September, and he'll sit Friday after starting the previous five games. Lars Nootbaar will shift to center field while Alec Burleson receives a start in left.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Resting Saturday
Rotowire
Siani isn't in the Cardinals' lineup for Saturday's game versus Toronto.
Siani will get a breather Saturday after going 5-for-34 with two RBI and two runs scored since returning from the injured list at the beginning of the month. His absence will move Brendan Donovan to the outfield while Thomas Saggese starts at second base and bats sixth.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Registers steal in Wednesday's win
Rotowire
Siani went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Reds.
Siani had gone 0-for-9 with four strikeouts over his previous three games. He was able to snap the slump in the eighth inning, getting on base with a single and scoring on a Paul Goldschmidt double. Siani has three steals over eight games since he returned from an oblique injury. He's now 17-for-20 on the basepaths this year while adding a .246/.286/.308 slash line, two home runs, 20 RBI and 38 runs scored over 109 contests. He is likely to go unchallenged for playing time after Victor Scott was sent down to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Picks up steal Friday
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Siani went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Friday's 6-1 loss to the Mariners.
Siani has gone 3-for-14 with two steals and two RBI over four games since he returned from an oblique injury. The center fielder was the only Cardinal with multiple hits in Friday's contest. He's up to a .254/.295/.319 slash line with 16 thefts, two home runs, 20 RBI, 37 runs scored, six doubles and two triples through 105 contests this year.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Provides key hit in win
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Siani went 1-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base and one run scored in Tuesday's 7-4 extra-innings win over the Brewers.
Siani came through with a two-run single in the 12th inning to put the Cardinals ahead for good. This was his second game back after a four-week absence with an oblique strain. He's regained a starting job in center field, relegating Victor Scott to a speed-and-defense role off the bench. Siani has been excellent defensively without being a black hole on offense, slashing .253/.296/.320 with 10 extra-base hits, 20 RBI, 37 runs scored and 15 steals over 103 contests this season.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Cleared for rehab assignment
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Siani (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Siani will play five innings in center field in his first rehab game and continue to build up from there. He would seem to be tracking toward a return within the next week or so. Siani has been shelved since early August with a right oblique strain.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Takes batting practice
Rotowire
Siani (oblique) took a full round of batting practice Thursday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
It's the first time he's done so since landing on the 10-day injured list in early August with a right oblique strain. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Thursday that Siani will begin a rehab assignment soon, although the team is still determining when and where that will occur. The center fielder has a shot to return before the end of August.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Rehab progressing
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Wednesday that Siani (oblique) has progressed to hitting coach-flipped pitches and doing some light defensive work, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Siani began hitting off a tee this past weekend and is now continuing his progression as he works his way back from a right oblique strain. The center fielder has been shelved since early August but could be ready to return from the 10-day injured list around the start of September.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Cleared to swing
Rotowire
Team doctors cleared Siani (oblique) to resume swinging a bat Saturday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Siani has been throwing and doing light fielding drills since undergoing a PRP injection Aug. 6, and he'll now be able to add swinging to his baseball activities. The center fielder hasn't played since Aug. 3 due to a strained right oblique but could be back before the end of August.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Out with oblique strain
Rotowire
The Cardinals placed Siani on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a right oblique strain.
The 25-year-old suffered the injury during Saturday's contest, and the Cardinals won't waste any time before moving him to the injured list. Siani is without an official timeline for his return, but it's likely to sideline him beyond the 10-day minimum and could be a significant injury, per Katie Woo of The Athletic.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Headed for IL
Rotowire
The Cardinals are expected to place Siani (oblique) on the injured list prior to Sunday's game against the Cubs, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
The team has yet to disclose the severity of the right oblique injury that Siani sustained in Saturday's 5-4 win, but his pending move to the IL suggests that it's more than a day-to-day concern. The Cardinals plan to recall Victor Scott from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move, but it's unclear if Scott will immediately step into Siani's everyday role in center field or if he'll instead function as more of a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch runner. St. Louis could choose to open up regular room in the outfield for Brendan Donovan, Tommy Pham and Lars Nootbaar, though the club's outfield defense would take a big hit without rangier options like Siani or Scott patrolling center field.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Battling oblique injury
Rotowire
Siani was removed from Saturday's game against the Cubs due to right oblique tightness, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Siani had gone 0-for-3 with three strikeouts before his oblique forced him out of the game in the eighth inning. The severity of his injury remains unknown, but it's possible the Cardinals hold him out for another day or two so that he can properly recover.
