Cardinals’ Slugger Castoff Cuts Ties With New Team After Just 3 Games

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 22: Nelson Velázquez #38 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks connected successful the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels astatine Angel Stadium of Anaheim connected July 22, 2026 successful Anaheim, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

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The St. Louis Cardinals person spent overmuch of the 2026 play searching for players who tin go portion of the organization’s adjacent competitory core. With the nine rebuilding, opportunities person progressively gone to younger players trying to found themselves arsenic semipermanent pieces.

And galore of the roster’s younger pieces person proven to beryllium a pleasant astonishment pursuing a waste and acquisition deadline that saw respective veterans traded away.

“The astonishing point has been really good the pieces remaining connected the roster person performed,” Will Leitch wrote for MLB.com. “These are mostly young players who are utilizing 2026 arsenic a measurement to beryllium their semipermanent fresh pinch the team, for illustration Alec Burleson, Iván Herrera, Riley O’Brien, Michael McGreevy and NL Rookie of the Year front-runner JJ Wetherholt.”

But the emergence of immoderate younger contributors and the changeless hunt for semipermanent roster answers has besides meant difficult decisions for players who grounded to unafraid imperishable roles. Ultimately, that meant a trim for outfield slugger Nelson Velazquez, who is now facing different alteration aft a little stint pinch his caller squad has travel to an extremity arsenic well.

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Former St Louis Cardinals Outfielder Sees Short Stint With New Team Come To Abrupt End

Velazquez had the chance to drawback a lasting domiciled pinch the rebuilding Cardinals earlier this season, but he was yet designated for duty earlier this month. And now, aft joining the Houston Astros, he has elected free agency aft being designated for duty again, according to the charismatic transaction page.

That determination comes conscionable 3 games pinch the Astros, pinch Velazquez going hitless successful 4 at-bats.

Velazquez joined the Cardinals connected a insignificant convention statement earlier earning a awesome convention opportunity successful precocious May. He spent much than 2 months pinch St. Louis, but the statement yet designated him for duty aft claiming outfielder Everson Pereira.

The Astros claimed Velázquez disconnected waivers soon afterward, hoping his right-handed powerfulness could supply a useful platoon option, but that research came to an abrupt end.

Now, arsenic a free agent, he’ll beryllium looking for an opportunity that tin get him backmost into the majors.

“It’s imaginable he garners liking arsenic a platoon bat, arsenic that was seemingly why the Astros grabbed him,” Darragh McDonald wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “In 88 sheet appearances this year, mostly pinch the Cardinals, he has a subpar .205/.273/.410 statement connected the whole. However, the righty-swinging Velázquez has 4 homers connected the year, each against lefties.”

St Louis Cardinals Castoff Still Offers Upside After Latest Cut

The 27-year-old’s divided gives him a perchance valuable domiciled for a squad looking for right-handed powerfulness without committing to him arsenic an mundane player.

For the Cardinals, his departure is different illustration of the roster churn that comes pinch a rebuilding statement attempting to find which players beryllium successful its adjacent competitory window. For Velazquez, it was a amended showcase than his very little enactment pinch the Astros arsenic he looks for a caller location successful free agency.