The brevity of Daniel Ponce de Leon’s start Friday night had repercussions throughout the Cardinals roster by Saturday morning, starting with relievers who pitched too many innings to be available and had to be replaced.
In Ponce de Leon’s case, he pitched too few.
Less than 24 hours after he was a part of the big-league rotation, Ponce de Leon was optioned to the team’s alternate-site camp in Springfield, Mo. That decision put other moves in motion, including rookie Johan Oviedo moving into the rotation. The Cardinals also recalled relievers Rob Kaminsky, Seth Elledge, and Ryan Meisinger.