Cardinals' Tink Hence: Role change considered

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Wednesday that the team has had internal conversations about whether to move Hence from a starting pitcher to relief pitcher role, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The Cardinals' main focus for Hence this offseason has been on a training and strengthening program, as well as some mechanical adjustments. The hope is that those things will help the 23-year-old stay healthy, but shifting Hence's role is also on the table. Hence was limited to just eight appearances in 2025 due to a lat strain and shoulder impingement, and injuries have prevented him from ever reaching 100 innings in a minor-league season. The righty entered the offseason healthy and without limitations.