Cardinals Top Bullpen Addition Reportedly Will Miss Opening Day

St. Louis will be without the services of one its top relievers to begin the 2024 season

The St. Louis Cardinals got some bad news Saturday morning. 

St. Louis made some intriguing additions this offseason and should be better in 2024. The 2023 season was a disaster but things should look different next season. While this is the case, St. Louis already is dealing with multiple injuries that could negatively impact the club.

Ace Sonny Gray is dealing with an injury and the club still is waiting to see if he will be ready to go for the first series of the 2024 campaign. The Cardinals got some other bad news Saturday as top bullpen addition Keynan Middleton reportedly will miss Opening Day and begin the season on the Injured List, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

"Keynan Middleton will start the year on (Injured List)," Goold said. "Forearm soreness means 10 days without throwing. Opens spot in bullpen."

Middleton joined the Cardinals in free agency after spending the 2023 season with the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. He began the season with the White Sox and had a 3.96 ERA in 39 appearances before being traded to New York.

The righty shined with the Yankees and had an eye-popping 1.88 ERA in 12 appearances to go along with a 17-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 14 1/3 innings pitched.

Hopefully, Middleton won't miss much more time than the 10 days and get back on the mound quickly. St. Louis had one of the worst bullpens in baseball last season and Middleton is supposed to help fix the issue.

More MLB: Ex-Cardinals Outfielder Available; Should Club Reunite After Tommy Edman News?