St. Louis Cardinals

Yadi's backup merry-go-round continues: Cardinals place Pena on DL

Published Jul. 6, 2016 5:03 p.m. ET

foxsports

ST. LOUIS -- Eric Fryer wouldn't have lashed out at St. Louis pitching Tuesday night if Brayan Pena hadn't come off the disabled list, but Pena did and the Cardinals let Fryer go last week. He quickly was picked up by the Pirates, and he had three RBIs in Pittsburgh's 5-2 win Tuesday.

Now Pena is on the DL again and the Cardinals have a new backup for Yadier Molina: rookie Alberto Rosario, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Memphis. He will be available for the Pirates-Cardinals game Wednesday night at Busch Stadium.

Pena, who had left knee surgery in April and missed the season's first 75 games, was placed on the 15-day DL with left knee inflammation. He was activated June 28 and made two starts. He is 1 for 8 on the season after picking up his first hit as a Cardinal on Tuesday.

Rosario's next game in the majors will be his first. He was signed by St. Louis as a minor league free agent on December 12, 2014. He is in his 11th professional season.

Rosario, 29, has appeared in 39 games for the Memphis Redbirds and is batting .281 (32 for 114). He has nabbed 10 of 24 (42 percent) would be base stealers this season and has a 42 percent career caught-stealing rate in the minors (295 for 704).