The St. Louis Cardinals are gearing up for Opening Day, aiming to tweak their roster for a stronger comeback in 2024. As they approach the season start, they’re making last-minute adjustments, with some players facing uncertainty during spring training.

On Thursday, one such player from the Cardinals was designated for assignment to free up a roster spot. Now, there’s news of his relocation: infielder Buddy Kennedy has been picked up by the Detroit Tigers after being claimed off waivers, as announced by the club.

Kennedy had been acquired by the Cardinals from the Oakland Athletics earlier this winter. However, he was recently DFA’d to accommodate the signing of Brandon Crawford, a four-time Gold Glove winner. Crawford is expected to support rising talent Masyn Winn as a backup shortstop and mentor.

Kennedy showcased impressive performance stats in the 2023 season, batting .307 with 37 extra-base hits, including five home runs, along with 50 RBIs and a .887 OPS in 101 games played across Triple-A Reno and Las Vegas. Although primarily associated with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Triple-A Reno team, he was acquired by Oakland towards the end of the season, where he participated in 11 games for Triple-A Las Vegas.

Despite his versatility, predominantly at third base but also with innings logged at second base, left field, and first base, Kennedy’s exposure at the Major League level was limited, with just 101 at-bats and a .206/.293/.299 slash line. Given this, the Cardinals’ decision to swap Kennedy for Crawford seems justified.

With numerous free agents still available, the Cardinals have the opportunity to further refine their roster before the season commences. It remains to be seen whether they will continue to make moves to accommodate new talent.