With Major League Baseball officially opening free agency at 4 p.m. Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals made several roster moves to shape their 40-man roster ahead of key deadlines for Rule 5 draft protection and contract tenders.
Utility player Bryan Torres was added to the 40-man roster after a strong season at Triple-A Memphis, where he posted a .440 on-base percentage.
Left-hander Zack Thompson was activated from the 60-day injured list and cleared outright waivers, making him a minor league free agent. Lefty Anthony Veneziano also cleared waivers and became a minor league free agent.
Right-hander Roddery Muñoz was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds, and outfielder Michael Siani was claimed on waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
These moves reduce the Cardinals’ 40-man roster to 37.
Torres, 28, signed with the Milwaukee Brewers as a 17-year-old in 2015 and has traveled a long road through the minors and independent ball. He briefly spent time with the Giants before playing two seasons with the American Association’s Milwaukee Milkmen.
The Cardinals signed him to a minor league deal before the 2024 season after his stint with the Milkmen, and he posted an .834 OPS for Double-A Springfield that year before spending all of 2025 at Memphis.
As a Redbird, Torres batted .328, improved his triple-slash numbers, and played all three outfield positions as well as second and third base. Listed at just 5-foot-7 and 165 pounds, Torres is a left-handed hitter, which could have worked against him amid a group of left-handed Cardinals outfielders.
Instead, his consistent upper-minors success prompted the Cardinals to add him to the roster Thursday to prevent him from reaching minor league free agency.
Thompson, 28, did not pitch in 2025 after sustaining a lat injury in spring training, which compounded into persistent shoulder issues. By the end of the season, he had not returned to a throwing program after multiple setbacks during the summer.
The Cardinals’ first-round pick in 2019 and the first player to wear No. 57 since Darryl Kile’s death in 2002, Thompson broke camp in the rotation in 2024, but was sent back to Memphis after Sonny Gray recovered from a hamstring injury and as Thompson struggled in relief.
He made just two starts and three relief appearances, the last of which saw him allow seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. That remains his most recent major league outing.
After a strong defensive showing but inconsistent offense as the Cardinals’ primary center fielder in 2024, Siani appeared in only 19 games in 2025. The 26-year-old faced competition from fellow left-handed outfielders Victor Scott II and Nathan Church and did not have an obvious role after Church’s late-season debut.
Muñoz, 25, was claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins before last season and split time between St. Louis and Triple-A Memphis. In 11 innings over nine relief appearances for the Cardinals, he allowed 10 earned runs and struck out 14. Formerly a starter in Miami, the Cardinals did not see the improvement they hoped for after moving him to the bullpen.
Veneziano was claimed off waivers from Miami following the trade deadline and made two appearances for St. Louis, allowing two runs in four innings.
Thursday’s moves are just the beginning for the Cardinals, who face upcoming deadlines. Nov. 18 is the deadline to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. Catcher Leonardo Bernal, outfielder Josh Baez, starter Cooper Hjerpe and others will require protection by then; Torres would also have needed protection if not for Thursday’s move.
Three days later, on Nov. 21, teams must decide whether to tender contracts to players eligible for pre-arbitration or arbitration for 2026. That date is the deadline for decisions on relievers Jorge Alcala, John King, and others. The Cardinals have also non-tendered players prior to arbitration in recent years.
MLB free agency opened at 4 p.m. Central time Thursday, though historically it moves slower than in other major sports. The Cardinals are not expected to be major bidders for top-tier free agents, but are seeking at least one starting pitcher. They also continue to discuss potential trades involving Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray.
Significant roster changes are likely in the weeks and months ahead.
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