Paul DeJong Shares Humble Reaction to Triple-A Demotion

Just three years removed from a 2019 All-Star campaign, St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong has been demoted to Triple-A Memphis. St. Louis optioned the six-year MLB veteran on Tuesday afternoon in the midst of his second consecutive brutal season at the plate.

As an established everyday starter, being optioned to Triple-A for poor performance is a harsh reality. DeJong offered a humble reaction when speaking to Cardinals insider Rick Hummel about the situation.

Paul DeJong Cardinals

“I need to show I’m consistent and feel like I’m comfortable in the (batter’s) box.”

- Paul DeJong

Cardinals News

It wasn't an easy decision for anyone in the organization. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak also spoke to Hummel, calling the situation "agonizing."

DeJong's performance simply forced St. Louis' hand, however. He's slashing just .130/.209/.208 through 86 plate appearances in 2022, and on the heels of a .197/.284/.390 campaign a year ago.

St. Louis has a logjam at shortstop between Brendan Donovan, Edmundo Sosa (returning from injury), Kramer Robertson and even Tommy Edman. But, it's tough for the team to return such dismal offensive performances from the veteran DeJong, who is under contract through 2025 earning $6 million this year.

Cardinals managed Oliver Marmol also weighed in on the situation. “It’s best for [DeJong] to go down and try to figure it out at a level where there’s not the extra pressure. There’s an adjustment to be made both physically and mentally.”

Mozeliak said the veteran DeJong "took it like a pro" but there's no "timetable" on the amount of time he'll spend in Triple-A.

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