The Tampa Bay Rays non-tendered outfielder Dylan Carlson and left-handers Colin Poche, Tyler Alexander and Richard Lovely on Friday, making them all free agents. Once one of the St. Louis Cardinals' top outfield prospects, Carlson now finds himself on the open market this winter after being traded from the Cardinals to the Rays at the deadline this summer. The former first-rounder in 2016 was slightly better in his time with Tampa but still had an overall disappointing slash line in 2024 at .209/.287/.277 with a career-worst .563 OPS, only three home runs, 25 RBI, two steals and 19 runs scored in 97 total games with St. Louis and Tampa. The 26-year-old switch-hitter will surely latch on with another organization, but he's going to need to play much better to have a shot at a platoon role wherever he lands.
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Dylan Carlson homered in Friday evening's series-opening walk-off win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks at Tropicana Field, adding a stolen base. Before hitting an RBI single in the eighth inning, Carlson cranked a solo home run off Arizona right-hander Ryne Nelson to right field to cut the Rays' deficit within 2-1 in the fifth frame on Friday against the D-backs. In his last 12 games since joining Tampa Bay, the 25-year-old former top prospect has gone 9-for-34 (.265) with three big flies, eight RBI, four runs scored, and one steal.
The St. Louis Cardinals sent former top prospect Dylan Carlson to the Rays for veteran reliever Shawn Armstrong. The Rays are widely known for their reclamation projects and hope to bring Carlson back to his 2021 form, where he finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .266 with 18 home runs and 65 RBI. 2022 and 2023 were not nearly as kind to Carlson, as he regressed statistically across the board in all major categories, finally leading to his current .198 average and zero homers. A change of scenery might do Carlson some good. At only 25 years old, he still has youth on his side and also comes with a first-round draft-pick pedigree. With the Rays making a flurry of deadline moves of their own, there should be enough at-bats available for Carlson to prove himself. Don't discount the Tampa Bay front office; if they think highly enough of him to buy low, he should at least be added to all watch lists and kept a close eye on, especially over the next few weeks.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) has been activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since crashing into a wall during spring training. He'll make his season debut on Sunday, batting fifth and covering center field versus lefty Garrett Crochet. The former top prospect has struggled at times in the big leagues, so fantasy managers should take a wait-and-see approach here.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Pedro Pag s will be optioned to Memphis as the corresponding move. Carlson recently completed a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis and is set to make his season debut on Sunday. The 25-year-old missed the start of the season due to a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. He slashed .219/.318/.333 with five home runs, 27 RBI, 27 runs, and three stolen bases over 255 plate appearances in 2023. With Tommy Edman (wrist) sidelined and Jordan Walker in Triple-A Memphis, Carlson has a clear path for playing time and is a speculative add in deep-league formats.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder), who is close to a return from his sprained left shoulder, is in the team's clubhouse on Saturday before their game against the visiting Chicago White Sox. It means that Carlson is likely on the verge of officially being activated from the injured list, although he's not in the team's lineup. The 25-year-old played nine innings in the field for Triple-A Memphis on Friday and went 3-for-11 with a solo home run in four rehab games with Memphis. With Tommy Edman (wrist) still on the IL, Carlson is expected to take over center field duties from rookie Michael Siani when he's officially active on the Cardinals' roster. The former first-round switch-hitter so far hasn't lived up to expectations in his four years in the big leagues, but he's certainly worth a waiver-wire pickup in deep-mixed leagues.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) went 2-for-3 with a home run in a rehab game with Triple-A Memphis. Carlson was playing in his second rehab game and was used as the designated hitter in this one after playing in center field on Wednesday. He will likely need a decent amount of time to get himself ready for a return to the majors, as he hasn't yet played in a game for the Cardinals this year after suffering a sprained left shoulder in Spring Training. The 25-year-old doesn't have much fantasy appeal, but he was once a well-regarded prospect and is still young, so a post-hype breakout is possible.
Dylan Carlson To Start Rehab Assignment Early Next Week
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) will start his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday or Wednesday, according to manager Oliver Marmol. Carlson has yet to make his season debut with the Cardinals due to a sprained left shoulder that he suffered in spring training, but he's getting closer and is now ready to play in live games. The 25-year-old switch-hitter could need extended minor-league action before the Cardinals are comfortable activating him from the 10-day injured list, but when he does return to the big-league roster, he could see pretty regular playing time in center field since Tommy Edman (wrist) is still sidelined. Right now, rookie Michael Siani has been seeing most of the starts in center for the Red Birds.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) has taken swings, including some in the cage off batting practice tosses, and has gone through defensive work that includes throwing. However, he's still feeling some pain on the follow-through of his right-handed swing, but throwing has gone better than expected. There remains no timetable for his 2024 debut, but he's making progress and could start a minor-league rehab assignment in a few days. The 25-year-old is making slow progress and appears to be ahead of Tommy Edman (wrist) in his rehab, so he could be set for a starting role in center field when he's able to come off the injured list. The switch-hitting former 33rd overall pick in 2016 has disappointed in recent seasons, and injuries haven't helped his cause. When Edman is ready, Carlson figures to be a fourth outfielder in St. Louis.
Tommy Edman, Dylan Carlson Starting To Swing The Bat
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Tommy Edman (wrist) will start taking dry swings on Monday and will hit off a tee on Tuesday. Meanwhile, outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) will hit off a tee on Monday and will progress to soft toss this week. Edman is probably further from making his 2024 debut than Carlson after recovering from offseason surgery on his right wrist. When healthy, the 28-year-old will be St. Louis' starting center fielder after slashing .248/.307/.399 with a career-high-tying 13 home runs, 47 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 137 games played. Edman should be rostered in most fantasy baseball leagues despite his late start to the season. Carlson was shut down for two weeks after receiving a cortisone injection for an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder. The 25-year-old could have been playing every day if he was healthy, but when he returns, he might merely be the team's fourth outfielder.
