The Cardinals are hoping to keep Jason Motte with the organization, just not on the major league roster.
On Thursday the team released the right hander. Once the closer for the Cardinals, Motte spent the 2017 season with the Braves compiling a 3.54 ERA and 1.18 WHIP but that came with a questionable 27/20 K/BB ratio.
The hope is that Motte will pass though waivers and then be resigned by the club on a minor league deal that will allow them to place him at Triple-A Memphis. There are 29 other teams who can prevent that from happening however given that he could find no other takers over the winter and allowed six runs on 13 hits in just 5 1/3 spring innings the chances look good for a return to the Cardinals.
According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Motte left his gear with the club during the mandatory 48-hour period he has to be away from the team to pass though waivers.
Motte will always have a place in Cardinals lore as he was the closer on the 2011 World Series winning team. He would lead the NL with 42 saves a season later before missing 2013 with Tommy John surgery.
Since leaving the Cardinals, Motte also pitched for the Cubs, Rockies and the aforementioned Braves.
