Every year, or at least every year since 2012, we’ve taken some time after the season was over to look at the past 162 games through the lens of the players that played them (and the management that was in charge of them). Last year, the Exit Interview series spent less time digging into splits and finding numerical oddities and more time reflecting on the player and their season. It was a style that seemed to work so we’re going to bring it back again this year. The legendary cardinalsgifs is back to bring us excellent series art, so it’s all downhill after you see that!
Player: Shawn Armstong
Stats (w/Cards): 1-0, 11 G, 12.2 IP, 11 H, 1 HR, 2 BB, 12 K, 2.84 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 1.026 WHIP, 0.2 bWAR
Statcast (overall): 8.9% barrel, 36.6% sweet spot, 113.0 max exit velocity, .345 wOBA, .348 xwOBA, 22.4 K%, 8.5 BB%
Grade: B
Shawn Armstrong might have been an exhibit for the prosecution in a case alleging the front office was wildly flailing. They trade of a young if struggling outfielder in Dylan Carlson to get Armstrong, who will be a free agent at the end of the year. The idea was to shore up the bullpen, though you could also argue it was made more for getting rid of Carlson than acquiring Armstrong. Then, just weeks later, the club releases Armstrong. Ostensibly it was to let Armstrong catch on with a team that had a better chance of making the playoffs, since August had been so rough for the Cards, though it may have been just trying to save a little money as well. It was a bit of a monkey’s paw for Armstrong, who did join a team that had a slightly better chance at October, but it was the Cubs, who also released him before the season was over.
Armstrong did his job in St. Louis, though. He wasn’t someone that was trusted with the highest of leverage situations but he might have worked up to that if he’d stuck around. He didn’t allow any of the seven inherited runners to score, which was notable. Four of five base stealers were successful but given the issues of Cardinal catchers in that area it’s hard to blame him for that. Overall, he was a fine if unexciting bullpen option. While he’ll be a player most Cardinal fans will quickly forget, he at least didn’t blow up on the club.
What’s in store for 2025: Armstrong’s best stretch was with the Cardinals, as he scuffled in his few Cubs innings as well. He’ll sign somewhere, though, as a low leverage option in a solid bullpen. I imagine he’ll bounce from team to team for a while but if he captures what he had in St. Louis (and showed in Tampa Bay in 2023) he’ll have a few more years in the bigs.
