Siani went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Friday's loss to the Mets.
Siani was making just his fourth start of the season, although he has appeared in a total of 15 games because he often enters as a pinch runner and/or defensive replacement. It came down to the wire between Siani and Victor Scott for the Cardinals' center field job out of spring training, but Scott won it and has been an everyday player, starting 18 of 20 games. Siani could get optioned to Triple-A Memphis when Masyn Winn (back) returns from the 10-day injured list Tuesday if the club wants added protection at shortstop with Thomas Saggese.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Starting season as reserve
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Victor Scott will be St. Louis' Opening Day center fielder, pushing Siani to a bench role, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Siani and Scott competed for the starting role in center field this spring, and Scott pulled away with outstanding numbers during the exhibition slate while Siani has posted an ugly .334 OPS over 47 plate appearances. Siani will still make the Opening Day roster, but he's slated to work as the Cardinals' fourth outfielder. Both Scott and Siani are left-handed batters, so if Scott performs well, he could be in the lineup nearly every day against both righties and lefties.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Good to go Friday
Rotowire
Siani (illness) is starting in center field and batting leadoff in Friday's split-squad game against the Mets, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The outfielder has been battling an illness this week but is ready to return to spring action Friday. Siani is competing with Victor Scott for the starting job in center field, and both players will get a start at the position in separate split-squad games. Siani has gone 4-for-40 through 13 appearances in spring training, while Scott has torn the cover off the ball with a 1.133 OPS.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Scratched Monday with illness
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The Cardinals scratched Siani from the lineup for Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals due to an illness, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Victor Scott -- who looks to be Siani's main competition for primary duties in center field to begin the season -- will shift over from left field to replace Siani. Assuming he can quickly shake off the illness, Siani will have a few more opportunities this spring to stake his claim to a near-everyday role. The 25-year-old Siani drew high marks for his defense last season, but aside from going 20-for-23 in stolen-base attempts, his fantasy profile was relatively hollow. Siani hit just .228 with two home runs, 42 runs and 20 RBI over his 334 plate appearances, most of which came at the bottom of the lineup.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Neck and neck with Scott in CF
Rotowire
The Cardinals are "torn" between starting Siani or Victor Scott in center field, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
What had been advertised as a three-man competition now appears to be down to two, as Lars Nootbaar looks slated to see the bulk of his playing time in left field while serving as a backup center fielder. While Siani offers an elite glove in center field, he is just 1-for-25 at the plate this spring, while Scott is 7-for-22 with a home run and four stolen bases. The Cardinals are not expected to carry both Siani and Scott on the Opening Day roster, so whoever loses out in the job battle with the big club will likely play center field at Triple-A Memphis to begin the season.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Competing for center field job
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol considers the center field job an open competition between Siani, Victor Scott and Lars Nootbaar, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
If the Cardinals had been able to trade Nolan Arenado, Nootbaar would've been slated for everyday left fielder duty. With Arenado still around -- at least for now -- Brendan Donovan will see more time in left field, which would push Nootbaar to center. Siani and Scott are the superior defenders, though, and will have an opportunity to stake their claim to the job. The 26-year-old Siani led St. Louis with 96 starts in center field in 2024 and is an elite defender, but he was one of the worst hitters in baseball with a lowly .570 OPS.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Out of lineup Thursday
Rotowire
Siani is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game in Colorado.
Siani will get a day off after he started both of the first two games of the series. Victor Scott will occupy center field and bat ninth for St. Louis as it goes for the sweep.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Reaches 20-steal mark
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Siani went 1-for-2 with a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 7-3 win over the Rockies.
Amid a 4-for-37 skid over his last 13 games, Siani's playing time has taken a hit. He's still picked up five steals over his last 15 contests, giving him 20 thefts on 23 attempts this season. The center fielder is at a .237/.286/.296 slash line with two home runs, 20 RBI and 40 runs scored through 119 games. While his defense has kept him in the lineup regularly, Siani could lose playing time to Victor Scott while the latter is on the major-league roster.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: On bench vs. right-hander again
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Siani is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
The left-handed-hitting Siani has now been excluded from the lineup twice during the series with Cleveland, with both absences coming against right-handed starting pitchers. Thomas Saggese cracked the lineup in Siani's stead Friday, but Matt Carpenter will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter Sunday while Lars Nootbaar slides over from left field to cover Siani's usual spot in center field.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: On bench Friday
Rotowire
Siani is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Guardians on Friday.
Siani is batting .128 in 15 games since returning from the injured list in early September, and he'll sit Friday after starting the previous five games. Lars Nootbaar will shift to center field while Alec Burleson receives a start in left.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Swipes bag in win
Rotowire
Siani went 1-for-3 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Pirates.
Siani has logged five steals over 13 contests in September, giving him 19 thefts on the year. He's been able to find success on the basepaths despite batting .143 (6-for-42) this month. He had a hot start to the second half before an oblique injury derailed his momentum. Siani is at a .239/.282/.301 slash line through 114 contests in his first full year in the majors.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Records another steal
Rotowire
Siani went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays.
Siani has racked up four steals over his last 10 games despite hitting .152 (5-for-33) with two walks in that span. The outfielder has had some good moments with the bat this year, but his defense has made him a near-everyday option when healthy. He's slashing .241/.285/.300 with 18 steals, two home runs, 20 RBI and 38 runs scored through 299 plate appearances.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Resting Saturday
Rotowire
Siani isn't in the Cardinals' lineup for Saturday's game versus Toronto.
Siani will get a breather Saturday after going 5-for-34 with two RBI and two runs scored since returning from the injured list at the beginning of the month. His absence will move Brendan Donovan to the outfield while Thomas Saggese starts at second base and bats sixth.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Registers steal in Wednesday's win
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Siani went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Reds.
Siani had gone 0-for-9 with four strikeouts over his previous three games. He was able to snap the slump in the eighth inning, getting on base with a single and scoring on a Paul Goldschmidt double. Siani has three steals over eight games since he returned from an oblique injury. He's now 17-for-20 on the basepaths this year while adding a .246/.286/.308 slash line, two home runs, 20 RBI and 38 runs scored over 109 contests. He is likely to go unchallenged for playing time after Victor Scott was sent down to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Picks up steal Friday
Rotowire
Siani went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Friday's 6-1 loss to the Mariners.
Siani has gone 3-for-14 with two steals and two RBI over four games since he returned from an oblique injury. The center fielder was the only Cardinal with multiple hits in Friday's contest. He's up to a .254/.295/.319 slash line with 16 thefts, two home runs, 20 RBI, 37 runs scored, six doubles and two triples through 105 contests this year.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Provides key hit in win
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Siani went 1-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base and one run scored in Tuesday's 7-4 extra-innings win over the Brewers.
Siani came through with a two-run single in the 12th inning to put the Cardinals ahead for good. This was his second game back after a four-week absence with an oblique strain. He's regained a starting job in center field, relegating Victor Scott to a speed-and-defense role off the bench. Siani has been excellent defensively without being a black hole on offense, slashing .253/.296/.320 with 10 extra-base hits, 20 RBI, 37 runs scored and 15 steals over 103 contests this season.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Activated, not available Sunday
Rotowire
The Cardinals reinstated Siani (oblique) from the 10-day injured list Sunday, but he won't be available for the team's series finale against the Yankees in New York, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
St. Louis is bringing Siani back with the active roster expanding from 26 to 28 men, but after playing for Triple-A Memphis in Iowa a night earlier, he won't be able to join the Cardinals in New York in time for Sunday's game. Victor Scott will pick up the start in center field Sunday as a result, but manager Oliver Marmol said that Siani will "get the bulk of the time in center field" now that he's been activated, per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat. Prior to landing on the IL with a right oblique strain Aug. 4, Siani slashed .256/.297/.325 over 259 plate appearances, but his excellent defense and speed (14 steals in 17 attempts) are enough to keep him locked into a near-everyday role.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Cleared for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Siani (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Siani will play five innings in center field in his first rehab game and continue to build up from there. He would seem to be tracking toward a return within the next week or so. Siani has been shelved since early August with a right oblique strain.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Takes batting practice
Rotowire
Siani (oblique) took a full round of batting practice Thursday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
It's the first time he's done so since landing on the 10-day injured list in early August with a right oblique strain. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Thursday that Siani will begin a rehab assignment soon, although the team is still determining when and where that will occur. The center fielder has a shot to return before the end of August.
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Cardinals' Michael Siani: Rehab progressing
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Wednesday that Siani (oblique) has progressed to hitting coach-flipped pitches and doing some light defensive work, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Siani began hitting off a tee this past weekend and is now continuing his progression as he works his way back from a right oblique strain. The center fielder has been shelved since early August but could be ready to return from the 10-day injured list around the start of September.
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