The St. Louis Cardinals made a relatively quiet roster move while hosting the Philadelphia Phillies, releasing 26-year-old right-handed pitcher Victor Santos from their Triple-A organization.
According to the report, the move was announced Monday, Aug. 10, as the Cardinals opened their series against Philadelphia at Busch Stadium. MLB.com listed the transaction as the Memphis Redbirds releasing RHP Victor Santos. Santos had been pitching for St. Louis’ Triple-A affiliate and had never appeared for the Cardinals at the major-league level.
Santos’ 2026 season
Santos had put together respectable numbers before his release. The 26-year-old went 2-2 with a 2.74 ERA across 17 minor-league appearances in 2026. Despite those numbers, the Cardinals elected to move on from him as they continue adjusting their organizational pitching depth following the MLB trade deadline.
Santos has spent parts of seven seasons in the minor leagues, previously spending time in the organizations of the Boston Red Sox and Phillies before joining St. Louis. He has yet to make his MLB debut.
Why the move is notable
The release comes at an interesting point in the Cardinals’ season. St. Louis was still within striking distance of the National League postseason picture, entering Tuesday at 59-60 and 4.5 games behind the final NL playoff spot. The club had gone 5-5 over its previous 10 games.
The timing also illustrates that the Cardinals are continuing to reshape their organization even after the trade deadline. With Santos now available, another team could potentially take a chance on the right-hander, particularly given his 2.74 ERA and extensive minor-league experience.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals won the second game of the Phillies series 2-0, following their 6-5 loss in the opener.
Bottom line: Santos’ release is not a major-league roster shakeup because he never reached St. Louis, but it removes a 26-year-old pitcher who had produced solid Triple-A/minor-league results and could now become an intriguing free-agent option for another organization.
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