Cardinals Recall Bruce Zimmermann, Put Max Rajcic on 60-Day IL With Right Elbow Concern

The St. Louis Cardinals made a pair of roster moves Tuesday, selecting left-hander Bruce Zimmermann from Triple-A Memphis and placing right-hander Max Rajcic on the 60-day injured list with a right elbow issue. The transaction is the kind of midseason swing that can alter bullpen usage and the order of long-relief options as the Cardinals sort out innings across a critical stretch of the schedule.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Cardinals needed to create space on the 40-man roster, and the solution was a 60-day placement for Rajcic. MLB Trade Rumors also reported that Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said Rajcic would seek a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, a note relayed by Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, who added that there was “real concern” the injury could be more serious than an initial evaluation suggested.

Rajcic’s timeline underscores why St. Louis treated the situation as more than routine soreness. NBC Sports reported the team placed him on the 15-day injured list on July 6, retroactive to July 4, with right elbow soreness. While the move is not an automatic prognosis, it provides a clear indication that the Cardinals were not comfortable managing the issue on the normal day-to-day pitching plan.

To make room for Zimmermann, St. Louis optioned reliever Ryan Fernandez to Memphis, per MLB Trade Rumors. The Cardinals’ decision suggests a targeted adjustment to the active staff: Zimmermann provides an additional left-handed arm with experience, while Fernandez’s role shifts temporarily back to Triple-A so the organization can keep the major league roster aligned with the new injured-list reality.

Zimmermann’s selection from Memphis gives St. Louis a veteran option in a role that can flex depending on matchups and how the bullpen is constructed for specific opponents. For a club that frequently leans on late-inning specialist pitching, each added roster slot matters, especially when one rotation or bullpen slot disappears due to an extended IL stay.

For Rajcic, the key detail is the extended time horizon. A 60-day injured list designation generally reflects that teams expect the player to miss a substantial portion of the season rather than returning quickly. The reported plan for a second opinion also indicates that St. Louis wanted additional clarity before deciding how to proceed with recovery and workload, a process that can take weeks or months depending on findings.