Cardinals' Luken Baker: Returns from paternity leave
Rotowire
The Cardinals reinstated Baker from the paternity list Friday.
After spending the three-game maximum away from the team, Baker will now return to the active roster, replacing Victor Scott, who was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Goes on paternity leave
Rotowire
The Cardinals placed Baker on the paternity list Tuesday.
Baker will likely miss the entirety of the three-game series in Colorado before rejoining the club this weekend in San Francisco. Victor Scott is taking Baker's spot on the Cardinals' roster.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Appears set to lose work vs. RHPs
Rotowire
Baker will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter and No. 2 batter in Sunday's game against the Yankees.
Though he's back in the lineup for the series finale, Baker looks poised to lose out on a regular starting role against right-handed pitching with the Cardinals seemingly planning to deploy the recently recalled Jordan Walker in an everyday role. With Walker settling in as the Cardinals' primary right fielder, Alec Burleson should serve as St. Louis' designated hitter in most games, though the lefty-hitting Burleson will get a rare day off Sunday against Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: On bench Friday
Rotowire
Baker is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Yankees.
Baker will take a seat Friday against Marcus Stroman and the Yankees. In Baker's place, Alec Burleson will DH and bat second.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Picks up steal in win
Rotowire
Baker went 0-for-2 with two walks, one RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Padres.
Baker is hitting just .133 over eight contests since he was recalled from Triple-A Memphis, but he has drawn six walks in that span. That gives him a .364 on-base percentage. Baker has added a home run, five RBI, two runs scored and a double across 22 plate appearances. He's taken over for Matt Carpenter as the Cardinals' preferred designated hitter versus right-handed pitchers, and as a right-handed batter, Baker has a good chance of sticking in the lineup versus southpaws as well.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cardinals optioned Baker to Triple-A Memphis on Saturday.
Baker was never able to get his bat going this spring, tallying nine hits in 44 at-bats while striking out 13 times. Baker slashed .334/.439/.720 with 33 homers and 98 RBI in Triple-A last season, and if he's able to find his swing again in the minors, he may return to the Cardinals' bench at some point this summer.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Too many strikeouts in spring
Rotowire
Baker has gone 7-for-32 with four RBI, 11 strikeouts and three walks over 16 Grapefruit League games.
Baker struck out a 31.3 percent rate over 99 plate appearances toward the tail end of 2023. The 27-year-old has a strong power profile after slugging 33 home runs over 84 contests with Triple-A Memphis, but there's no clear path to a starting job in the majors with Paul Goldschmidt locked in at first base and Nolan Gorman likely to be the designated hitter. In terms of a competition for a bench role, Alec Burleson's strong spring and his ability to be an option in the outfield put him comfortably ahead of Baker or any number of other options to back up at first base.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Sitting versus lefty
Rotowire
Baker is absent from the lineup for Monday's game in Pittsburgh, Bally Sports Midwest reports.
Baker has started just four of nine games since his recall and has now not been in the lineup three times in five contests versus southpaws over that time. The minor league's home run leader this season with 33 dingers, Baker has struggled during his few chances in the majors and the Cardinals don't seem terribly interested in giving him a longer look.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Recalled from Memphis
Rotowire
The Cardinals recalled Baker from Triple-A Memphis on Saturday.
With Dylan Carlson (oblique) headed for the 10-day IL, Baker will come up from the minors to give St. Louis an additional bench bat. The 26-year-old first baseman is 5-for-19 in the majors this season and boasts a .334/.439/.720 slash line through 380 plate appearances in the minors.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Sent down Sunday
Rotowire
The Cardinals optioned Baker to Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Baker hasn't appeared in a game since July 5. He will get regular at-bats again at Memphis, where he's crushed to the tune of a .319/.433/.664 slash line and 22 homers in 64 games this season. His path to playing time is complicated by his defensive limitations, though Baker figures to get another opportunity before the end of the season, perhaps shortly after the trade deadline.
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Cardinals' Luken Baker: Summoned from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cardinals recalled Baker from Triple-A Memphis on Monday. He'll serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter and No. 6 batter in Monday's series opener in Miami.
Baker was up with the Cardinals for a couple weeks last month but played sparingly, with most of his limited opportunities coming against left-handed pitching. St. Louis is slated to face a few southpaws this week, so he could see a handful of starts before the All-Star break.
