DeJong joins big league club on road trip

SEATTLE -- Shortstop Paul DeJong, whose career has been marred by shocking struggles much of the past three seasons, is headed back to the Cardinals and could be activated as soon as Sunday, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Saturday.

DeJong, who hit at least 19 home runs in each of his first three MLB seasons before seeing his batting average plummet to below .200 the past two years, will be activated following rehab stints with Single-A Palm Beach and Triple-A Memphis. He missed most of Spring Training with lower back discomfort. DeJong went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and six RBIs on Friday for Memphis, boosting his batting average to .353 and his OPS to 1.068 in nine games.

DeJong’s 20-day rehab stint was set to expire on Tuesday, but the team felt comfortable promoting him earlier because of his improved health and the groove he has been in at the plate. Mozeliak said the club made the decision to promote DeJong on Friday afternoon, but the logistics of joining the Cardinals in Seattle during their 10-game road trip complicated matters a bit.

“When you’re putting a player on rehab, it’s about: ‘Do you feel good? Have you recovered from your injury? And have you gotten ample amount of playing time to be prepared when called upon?’” Mozeliak said from T-Mobile Park on Saturday before the Cardinals faced the Mariners. “Physically he stated he had been feeling good, really since he got to Memphis. And from a performance standpoint, he’s been playing every day and responding well.”

The Cardinals must make a roster move to activate DeJong, and the team is still weighing that decision. That move is expected to come late Saturday night or before Sunday’s game.

DeJong spent most of the offseason reworking his approach at the plate, opting for a minimal-stride stance that allows him to be better balanced and on time for pitches. The Cardinals are hopeful he can rediscover the swing that helped him hit 25 home runs as a rookie in 2017, 19 in 2018 and a career-best 30 in 2019, when he was the NL’s starting shortstop in the All-Star Game. He struggled through an injury- and illness-plagued 2020 and then saw his batting average plummet to .197 in 2021. When he struggled again to open the 2022 season, DeJong was demoted to Triple-A, but eventually worked his way back to the Majors. In 77 MLB games last season, he hit .157 with six home runs and 25 RBIs -- prompting the offseason work to change his approach at the plate.

“You’re never looking at rehabs solely on performance, but he has been playing well,” Mozeliak said. “This league is hard up here, and he’ll be tested. ... We felt like we’d get him moving and determine what’s next for him.”

Memphis manager Ben Johnson, who guided the Triple-A Cardinals to a 12th straight victory on Saturday, feels DeJong is ready to make a difference at the MLB level with his steady demeanor and solid plate approach.

“Paul was on fire and had a great day on [Friday],” Johnson said. “Since he’s been here, he’s put together quality at-bats. What I’ve been impressed with is the pitches that he’s swinging at, and he’s laying off some really tough pitches. He’s not giving away at-bats and has a really selective eye at the plate. I think all those things translate to the Major League level. So, I’m really looking forward to Paul going up and helping our club.”