The realities of the Cardinals’ roster shaped how the team approached Monday’s 3 p.m. CT Trade Deadline. St. Louis made no trades as the Deadline came and went, but it did continue the process of reshaping its roster.

Outfielder Lane Thomas (COVID-19 injured list) was activated and joined the team in Cincinnati. First baseman John Nogowski was optioned to the alternate training site in Springfield, Mo., but remains on the Cardinals' taxi squad for this road trip, along with relievers Roel Ramírez and Nabil Crismatt.

To make room for Thomas on the 40-man roster, lefty reliever Ricardo Sánchez was transferred to the 45-day injured list. Manager Mike Shildt said Sánchez had a left elbow sprain that was going to require more recovery time than there were days left in the season.

Thomas, part of the Cardinals’ second wave of COVID-19 positive tests during the outbreak, was sent to Springfield early last week to get at-bats. He now adds outfield depth to the Cards’ roster.

“He can run, he can play defense and can obviously take a quality bat off the bench,” Shildt said. “He can start as well. But off the bench, I think that’s what you’re looking for out of Lane.”

The Cardinals have played the fewest games in the Majors due to their 17-day layoff, and that also contributed to the club’s direction at the Deadline. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Monday was considerably less hectic than in typical years.

“Ideally the [Trade] Deadline would have been two weeks from now, because then we would have been a little bit more certain of where we are, but unfortunately, we can’t control the clock,” he said.

The Cardinals’ 40-man roster is at 45 players, because players on the COVID-19 IL do not count against that number. But when those players return to the active roster, St. Louis must make a transaction on the 40-man roster and the 60-man player pool.

Reliever Ryan Helsley, who will likely come off the COVID-19 IL on Tuesday, is an example of that. His reinstatement will require subsequent transactions -- a trade, release or putting a player on waivers. By not making a trade Monday, the Cardinals will have to place a player on waivers, while also making sure they have enough depth for their dense stretch of games. Carlos Martínez’s likely return this weekend will present the same scenario.

The Cardinals will play three doubleheaders in six days starting Saturday, and they have four other doubleheaders in September.

“That was part of the problem for doing something now, because if we had acquired someone, then all of a sudden you would have lost the depth likely,” Mozeliak said. “Our hope is that there’s going to be either some players that we can get through waivers or that, as we get closer, maybe we can be active on the waiver side. Or at that point, if there are players looking for work, maybe we can help there. First we have to get back to 40.”

The Cardinals haven’t completed a significant Deadline deal in several years despite being active in trade talks. In addition to the roster moves they make as the season continues, they will also spend the offseason looking to evaluate and potentially reshape the roster.

“I think everybody [in the clubhouse] sort of understands there were just a lot of odd dynamics,” Mozeliak said. “Clearly this is a team that’s happy to be back playing baseball, happy to be back on the field, but recognizes there are still some things we have to work through. None of us have experience managing these types of rosters, when you have a third of your roster go out with COVID.

“I’m proud of everything these guys have been through, because they’ve been through a lot. And to be where they are and still competing at the level they do with no days off and no rest for the weary, I admire that.”

Trainer’s room
• As he had to do in Spring Training, lefty reliever Génesis Cabrera had an acrylic nail attached to his left middle finger after cracking that fingernail on Saturday. Shildt said the soreness is subsiding, and Cabrera should be available either Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.

• Catcher Matt Wieters (broken left toe) is on the road trip with the Cardinals and will likely be activated when the team goes to Chicago at the end of the week.

• Lefty reliever Andrew Miller (left shoulder soreness) threw a bullpen session Monday at Busch Stadium and will have a day off Tuesday. The Cards will determine his next steps and when he could return to the roster after another bullpen session Wednesday.