The Cardinals signed Bruce Zimmermann to a minor league deal, as per the southpaw’s MLB.com profile page. He was outrighted off the Brewers’ 40-man roster at the end of the season and then elected minor league free agency.
Zimmermann spent all of 2024 in the Orioles’ minor league system, and then just about all of 2025 with Milwaukee’s Triple-A affiliate before his contract was selected in the final week of the season. With the Brewers looking to cover innings and generally save its pitchers heading into the playoffs, Zimmermann ate up six innings in a start on Sept. 23, allowing five earned runs in his lone MLB appearance of the year.
The left-hander’s previous big league resume consists of 158 1/3 innings with the Orioles from 2020-23, starting 27 of 38 games and posting a 5.57 ERA, 18.1% strikeout rate, and 5.2% walk rate. Zimmermann was tagged for 40 home runs during his time in Baltimore, and he hasn’t had much success against either left-handed or right-handed batters at the Major League level.
The Brewers were deep enough in rotation options that Zimmermann was something of an afterthought for the team, even though he posted decent numbers as a starter and reliever at Triple-A Nashville. St. Louis might not necessarily offer Zimmermann more chances at MLB playing time since the rebuilding Cardinals are prioritizing their younger arms, but he could fill a similar role as a Triple-A depth option, with spot start opportunities available if any of the youngsters struggle or if injuries arise.
Zimmermann is out of minor league options, so if he is selected to the Cards’ 26-man roster, they’d first have to expose him to waivers before outrighting him off the 40-man and sending him back to Triple-A. Since Zimmermann has previously been outrighted, he’d also have the right to elect free agency rather than accept another outright assignment. Depending on whether or not the Cardinals bring him up to the Show at all, Zimmermann might be in for a busy year on the transaction front.