Cards promote Granillo and Siani while sending Roycroft to Triple-A

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals called up right-handed reliever Andre Granillo and outfielder Michael Siani from Triple-A Memphis, optioned right-handed pitcher Chris Roycroft to Memphis and designated outfielder Ryan Vilade for assignment Thursday.

St. Louis made the moves before beginning a four-game series at Milwaukee. The 25-year-old Granillo made his major league debut Thursday and threw 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in the Cardinals' 6-0 loss to the Brewers.

Granillo had gone 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA and one save in 18 relief appearances with Memphis this season. Granillo has 46 strikeouts and eight walks in 29 2/3 innings.

He’s 21-15 with a 3.74 ERA in 172 career minor league appearances, all in relief.

Granillo says his improved control has made the difference this year.

“Honestly, I think it was just not walking people, striking out the people that I was walking last year,” Granillo said before Thursday's game. “I think just limiting the walks and upping the quality of pitches was definitely the key to why (I'm here now when) I wasn't here last year, or why I made that huge jump from having success in Triple-A.”

Granillo said his improvement followed a message from his personal pitching coach, Brandon James, when they worked together in San Diego.

“The glaring thing was my walks,” Granillo said. “He didn't sugar-coat it. He said, ‘You’re not ready to be a big leaguer because you walk everybody. I was like, ‘Yeah. You’re right. If I don't punch them out, I walk them.' Because they weren't hitting me.”

Vilade, 26, went 1 for 13 in seven games with St. Louis this season. He hit .178 with a .208 on-base percentage, one homer and five RBIs in 17 games with the Detroit Tigers last year.

Siani, 25, hit .250 with a .294 on-base percentage in 18 games with St. Louis earlier this season. He also is hitting .263 with a .348 on-base percentage, five homers, 17 RBIs and eight steals in 33 games with Memphis.

Roycroft, who turns 28 on June 21, was 1-3 with a 6.92 ERA in 14 relief appearances with the Cardinals.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB