Ponce de Leon optioned with 3 off-days ahead

ST. LOUIS -- Daniel Ponce de Leon will get another opportunity to pitch for the Cardinals -- it just won’t be right now.

The right-hander, who threw six scoreless innings in the Cardinals' 2-1 win over the Marlins on Wednesday, was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday, as Adam Wainwright was activated from the injured list to make the start in the series finale.

“He pitched great [Wednesday],” general manager Michael Girsch said. “It’s a tough thing for a kid who pitched that well to be optioned, but between the off-days we have on Monday, Thursday and next Monday [July 1], it’ll shake up the rotation a little bit, and he’ll be in contention to get back in there depending on how things work out.”

With all the scheduled off-days, the Cardinals will go with a four-man rotation for the time being. They won’t be in need of a fifth starter until July 6 in San Francisco.

And with Ponce de Leon needing three to four days off after throwing 90 pitches, sending him down seemed to be the most viable option.

“Clearly, it’s not personal,” manager Mike Shildt said. “It’s just the composition of the roster. We can’t carry a spot for three days and with off-days. It’s a great opportunity moving forward for Ponce to come back up and get a start. He gets the team concept of this and how it works. He’ll go down and get structured work and be available.”

Also, reserve Yairo Muñoz was placed on the restricted list Thursday because of travel delays getting back to St. Louis after spending three days on the paternity list. He’s currently stuck in New York, but the Cardinals hope to have him back by the end of the night.

That allowed the Cardinals to keep Tommy Edman and Rangel Ravelo in St. Louis for an extra day. One of them will be optioned Friday when Munoz returns.

“Yairo did everything right,” Girsch said. “He was on the earliest possible flight out of the Dominican this morning, which got delayed, he got to New York, it got delayed, and he was just not going to make it here in time. He should be here sometime tonight, God willing, and we’ll sort it out tomorrow.”

Rehab roundup
Relievers Ryan Helsley (right shoulder impingement) and Mike Mayers (right shoulder lat strain) threw bullpen sessions Thursday afternoon and will throw either a live batting practice or a simulated game Sunday before St. Louis determines the next steps.

If all goes well for Mayers, who was transferred to the 60-day injured list Monday and has been out since late April, the right-hander will begin his rehab assignment. Helsley, who was sidelined when the Cardinals were in Miami on June 12, might make one rehab assignment to see if he’s good to go, Girsch said.

“Feeling better,” Helsley said. “Moving in the right direction. The bullpen felt good today, but I’m trying to take it easy and not rush back too quick.”

Austin Gomber (left bicep) began throwing at the team’s facility in Jupiter, Fla. After having a setback with shoulder soreness, the left-hander is a week or 10 days away from live batting practice, Girsch said. Then, the Cardinals will build him up to take on extensive innings.

“He had shoulder fatigue,” Girsch said. “We needed to shut him down, and the prescription was rest. No surgery, no major issues.”

Gorman promoted
The Cardinals’ 2018 first-round Draft pick is moving his way through the farm system. Third baseman Nolan Gorman, St. Louis' top prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 31 in baseball, was promoted to Class A Advanced Palm Beach on Thursday.

Gorman, who was hitting .241 this year in Class A Peoria, was 3-for-37 in his last 10 games with four walks and 16 strikeouts. Now he’s moving to a pitcher-friendly league in the Florida State League.

“The biggest thing was we wanted him to finish out the first half, play the All-Star Game, play out his Midwest League experience,” Girsch said. “He’s a guy that works hard, has a good attitude, can handle adversity. We felt like timing wise, and given his background and the way he’s handled things, it made sense to push him forward and get him to Palm Beach.”

The fact that Gorman will be close to the team’s facility was a small part of the puzzle in moving him up, Girsch said.

“It’s much more about the next step in his progress in the Minor Leagues than his being near the assets we have there,” Girsch said. “It does provide another level of supervision and expertise and the like that we have there, that we don’t have at any other facility.”