PT TOMORROW: NL Central —DeJong becoming entrenched as starter

St. Louis Cardinals

Since his late June demotion to AAA-Memphis, Aledmys Díaz (SS, STL) has done little to demonstrate he deserves to return to his starting shortstop role in St. Louis. Through 65 Triple-A plate appearances, Diaz has three doubles, two homers, and is batting .260. He was hit by a pitch in his hand on July 25 and will reportedly miss a week, making his potential return to St. Louis more likely to be weeks, rather than days, away.

When opportunity knocked (as discussed in this space on July 1), Paul DeJong (2B/SS, STL) answered. The 23-year-old infielder has displayed a big power (14 HR and 157 xPX) and low contact (67% ct%) combination through his first two months (183 AB) in the majors. He batted third in the order in...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From PT Tomorrow

Edwin Uceta headlines Tampa Bay's group of late-inning relievers, but early indications are that the team will revert to a committee approach for saves.
Feb 3 2026 3:08am
With teams still putting rosters together, each of the NL West teams (even the Dodgers), has some work to do. What are next steps each team might take?
Jan 29 2026 3:06am
What does the acquisition of Luisangel Acuña mean for the outfield picture in Chicago? Plus, a look at DET SS options, the catcher situation in KC, and the CLE and MIN rotations.
Jan 26 2026 3:03am
Ben Williamson is currently the projected third baseman for the Mariners, but a shakeup may be needed.
Jan 20 2026 3:01am
Chicago signed Bregman to a 5-year/$175 million deal, how does it impact their roster?
Jan 15 2026 3:09am

Tools