Cardinals' Paul DeJong: Demoted amid season-long slump

The Cardinals optioned DeJong to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Since slugging a career-high 30 home runs in 2019 and earning an All-Star nod, DeJong hasn't come close to replicating that performance in the two-plus seasons that have followed. He was off to an especially brutal start to the 2022 campaign, having slashed just .130/.209/.208 with a career-worst 29.1 percent strikeout rate. The Cardinals will send DeJong down to Memphis with the hope that he finds his swing and recaptures some confidence at the plate, but at least for now, his time as the big club's everyday shortstop is over. Tommy Edman is expected to slide over from second base to play shortstop in the short term, while Brendan Donovan will be first in line to get a look as St. Louis' primary option at the keystone.