Cardinals Designate Tink Hence for Assignment

The St. Louis Cardinals have designated right-handed pitcher Tink Hence for assignment, creating a spot on the 40-man roster for Quinn Mathews, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A.

This decision follows Hence's struggles this season, where he posted a 6.64 ERA and an 18.2% walk rate over 20 1/3 innings at Triple-A Memphis. Despite being a second-round pick in the 2020 draft and previously receiving top-100 prospect recognition, Hence's performance has declined due to injuries.

As Hence approaches his 24th birthday, there is speculation that he may be traded before the upcoming deadline, with potential interest from teams like the Angels, who have ties to his drafting history.