Key Takeaways
- The St. Louis Cardinals recalled right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins from Triple-A Memphis and designated right-hander Matt Pushard for assignment on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
- Dobbins, returning from a torn ACL suffered while with Boston in July 2025, posted a strong 3-0 record with a 3.43 ERA in nine starts for Triple-A Memphis this season.
- Pushard, selected from the Miami Marlins in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft, struggled this season with a 5.14 ERA in six appearances, including allowing two runs in 1⅔ innings against the Cubs on Saturday.
- If Pushard clears waivers and goes unclaimed, the Cardinals are obligated to offer him back to the Miami Marlins for the standard $50,000 Rule 5 Draft return fee.
The St. Louis Cardinals made two notable roster moves on Sunday, May 31, 2026, recalling a recovering pitcher and designating another for assignment. The club announced that right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins has been recalled from their Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds. Simultaneously, they designated right-handed reliever Matt Pushard for assignment to create roster space for Dobbins’ return to the active 26-man roster.
Hunter Dobbins, 28, is returning to the majors after beginning the season on the injured list. His absence was due to recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) he sustained while pitching for the Boston Red Sox on July 11, 2025. This injury caused him to miss the entirety of the 2025 season after its occurrence. Prior to his recall, Dobbins had been pitching effectively in Triple-A Memphis. Over nine starts this season for the Redbirds, he compiled a 3-0 win-loss record with a respectable 3.43 earned run average (ERA). This performance builds on his rookie season experience with Boston in 2024, where he appeared in 13 games (making 11 starts) and finished with a 4-1 record and a 4.13 ERA. The Cardinals noted that Dobbins was available and ready to contribute immediately, particularly in a relief role, given the recent workload of the bullpen. The St. Louis relief corps had thrown a combined 10⅔ innings over the team’s previous two games, creating a need for fresh arms.
In contrast, Matt Pushard, also 28, was the player removed from the 40-man roster to accommodate Dobbins. Pushard was acquired by the Cardinals during the 2025 Rule 5 Draft, selecting him from the Miami Marlins organization. As a Rule 5 pick, Pushard must remain on the Cardinals’ active 26-man roster for the entirety of the 2026 season to avoid being offered back to his original club, the Marlins. His performance this season, however, did not secure his roster spot. In six appearances for St. Louis, Pushard struggled significantly, posting an elevated 5.14 ERA. His most recent outing came on Saturday night against the Chicago Cubs, where he allowed two runs (one of which was earned) over just 1⅔ innings of work. This recent struggle, combined with his overall season performance, led the Cardinals to designate him for assignment.
The designation for assignment initiates a waiver process. Pushard will now be placed on waivers, giving all 29 other Major League Baseball clubs the opportunity to claim him off waivers. If another team claims him, he would join that organization’s roster. However, if Pushard goes unclaimed by all other clubs—which is a common outcome for players struggling at the MLB level, especially Rule 5 picks facing assignment—the Cardinals would then be required to offer him back to his original team, the Miami Marlins. Under the rules governing the Rule 5 Draft, the Cardinals would owe the Marlins the standard $50,000 fee to retain his rights or complete the return. This financial obligation underscores the risk inherent in selecting players via the Rule 5 Draft, as clubs must keep them on the active roster for a full season or face losing them for a relatively nominal sum. Dobbins’ recall provides the Cardinals with a pitcher who has shown promise at the Triple-A level and is returning from a significant injury, while the Pushard move reflects the club’s ongoing effort to optimize its bullpen usage and roster composition amidst early-season performance evaluations.