Cecil working with a nutritionist for weight gain

Ozuna expected to debut Monday; Sosa leaves an impression

March 10th, 2019

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Cardinals reliever Brett Cecil lost 42 pounds during the offseason. That was by design.

Now he’s trying to gain some of it back. He’s too light, he said.

“I just talked to our trainer, asking if our nutritionist was down here to try to get back on an eating program where it’s good for me and I can put a little bit of weight back on,” Cecil said.

Cecil mentioned his weight issues after the Cardinals’ 9-1 loss to the Mets on Sunday, a game in which he made his first appearance since Feb. 27.

He walked former college football standout Tim Tebow, hit Dilson Herrera with a pitch, but didn’t allow any runs or hits in his one inning of work.

Cecil, who struggled last season (6.89 ERA in 40 appearances), is trying to become the solid reliever he was before. It’s one of the reasons he spent the offseason on a diet.

But now he said he needs to pack on a few more pounds. The lighter body is throwing off the mechanics on his delivery.

“I knew the weight was going to be down,” Cecil said. “But the problem is it kept coming off when I got into spring. Obviously, it’s hot and you run around a lot outside [in Spring Training].”

Cecil has been weighing in at anywhere from 200 to 205 lbs. One day the scales had him at 199 lbs.

“And I can’t tell you the last time I was 100 anything,” he said. “So I think if I can get back to 210, 215, I think it will be a little bit better.”

All systems go for Ozuna

Marcell Ozuna is expected to play the outfield on Monday for the first time this spring.

“It looks really positive,” said manager Mike Shildt. “I would expect it.”

Ozuna is recovering from offseason right shoulder surgery on his throwing arm, and has been used exclusively so far as a designated hitter.

He registered his first spring hit on Saturday and is 1-for-17 overall.

Shildt high on Sosa

Shortstop Edmundo Sosa -- who was among the players optioned to Triple-A Memphis in Saturday’s round of cuts -- left quite an impression on Shildt.

“He had a nice camp, swung the bat, has no fear, plays multiple positions,” Shildt said. “[He] shows the ability to be a smart player -- instinctual.”

Shildt said Sosa -- who hit .294 and counted four extra-base hits among his five total hits this spring -- could be the go-to shortstop if an injury were ever to occur to Paul DeJong.

“I think he’s a candidate,” Shildt said. “It doesn’t feel like a compliment to tell you you’re going down [to the Minors] to get work in. But we think enough about you that we want you to get down there and be ready to go.”

Up next

Jack Flaherty will return to the mound for the first time since striking out seven straight Phillies, when the Cardinals take on Max Scherzer and the Nationals on Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET in Jupiter.

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