ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

That was when manager Ben Johnson poked him until he took off the headphones.

“Why aren’t you in there?� Johnson said.

Crooks was sure he had slightly more than 5 minutes now.

He started to explain.

“I’m just messing with you,� Johnson said. “You’re going to the big leagues.�

Crooks and Redbirds teammate Cesar Prieto hopped on different flights Friday morning to reach the same destination by that afternoon — the majors. The Cardinals promoted Crooks and Prieto from Class AAA Memphis to take two spots on the active roster for players going on the injured list.

The Cardinals’ leading hitter with his .286 batting average, Alec Burleson, went on the 10-day injured list with persisting pain and inflammation in his right wrist. Burleson received an anti-inflammatory injection in the joint that was going to require at least 48 hours of inactivity, and the Cardinals did not want to play short through the coming week. Catcher Yohel Pozo took a foul ball off the helmet during Thursday’s game. He was able to finish the game, but on Friday he entered concussion protocols and went on the seven-day concussion IL.

Both Burleson and Pozo are expected to only require the minimum stay on their different IL before returning to the active roster, manager Oli Marmol said.

When they do, rosters will have expanded to 28 players.

The Cardinals had two openings on the 40-player roster and did not need to make any other corresponding moves to bring Prieto and Crooks to the majors. If only their flights to Cincinnati were that direct.

Crooks connected through Denver on the only flight the Cardinals could get him, and Prieto connected through Chicago to reach Cincinnati. They arrived at the same time and were both greeted with hand clasps and hugs from many of their former Triple-A teammates now in the Cardinals’ clubhouse. Marmol said he plans to start both Crooks and Prieto — two left-handed batters — on Sunday in the series finale against the Reds.

Prieto will start in the middle infield to get Masyn Winn a break from back-to-back day games Sunday and Monday as he manages an injured right knee.

“I’d like to get them in there and take a look,� Marmol said. “Those are guys who can be part of our future. I’d like to really be able to look at Crooksy and have a better idea what we have going into the offseason.�

Prieto, 26, came the Cardinals from Baltimore at the trade deadline in 2023. In 404 at-bats this season for Triple-A Memphis he hit .295 with a .359 on-base percentage and an .807 OPS. He must be protected this winter from the Rule 5 draft, so the Cardinals were already measuring him for a spot on the 40-player roster. A non-roster invite to major-league spring training this past season, Prieto made a strong impression for how he improved his defense during the camp.

Marmol said the reports from Memphis said that improvement continued.

“Probably the most improved player down there,� Marmol said. “How he came into the season to the adjustments he’s made and where he’s at. Compared to everybody is what I’ve been told. Has made some really good adjustments, some that we can see on the daily basis.�

Crooks, 24, was the Cardinals’ fourth-round pick in 2022 out of Oklahoma, and a year ago he was putting the finishing touches on his .321 average, .908 OPS, and MVP season in the Texas League. This summer, spent entirely at Class AAA, Crooks has hit .274 with a .441 slugging percentage and a .778 OPS at the highest affiliate. He’s made improvements defensively and thrown out 29% of baserunners who attempt to steal.

An improvement he wanted to make was exactly what he was doing when Johnson tapped him on the shoulder. He wanted to prepare better for games to be a source of comfort for catchers, Crooks explained.

He had to adjust that a little bit Sunday.

His first call was to his parents, who had just made the 3 1/2-hour drive from their home in Texas to Oklahoma City. They stayed to watch the Redbirds’ game and then hopped on the road to complete a 13-hour drive to Cincinnati. Crooks’ brother Dylan, who was recently drafted by the Colorado Rockies, was in Arizona, but he surprised his brother by showing up in Cincinnati in time to attend Friday night’s game.

Crooks said he never did make that meeting Sunday.

“At first, I was in a little bit of shock — I’m going to miss this pitcher’s meeting,� Crooks said. “It’s going to shock the others that are going.�

They understood.

He had to pack his gear for Cincinnati.

Scott begins rehab in Springfield

Outfielder Victor Scott II started in center field and hit second for the Class AA Springfield Cardinals on Friday night as he speeds his way back from a sprained ankle. Scott is set to spend a few weekend games on a rehab assignment with the Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate. Unless needed earlier due to injury, Scott will be considered for a return to the active roster Monday, the day it can expand to 28.

Scott rolled his ankle when trying to rob a home run from Aaron Judge during the New York Yankees visit to Busch Stadium earlier this season.

Coordinator Steinhorn departs

The Cardinals’ minor-league hitting coordinator Russ Steinhorn revealed on social media that the team notified him that he would not be returning after this season. Steinhorn joined the Cardinals to help major-league hitting coach Jeff Albert modernize and advance the overall system the Cardinals had for developing hitters. That included outfitting hitters and affiliates with improved technology as well as establishing and maintaining organizational ethos for hitting and hitter development.

During the past six seasons, Steinhorn played a role in the program that players like Masyn Winn, Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, and others entered into and advanced in on their way to the majors.

“As I prepare to take the next step in my journey, I want to first express my deepest gratitude to the incredible group of players I’ve had the honor to be around,� he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “The relationships built in the clubhouse, cages and on the field are ones I’ll always carry with me.�

The Cardinals’ minor-league system is nearing its second offseason guided by two of incoming president of baseball operation Chaim Bloom’s first two hires, assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio and farm director Larry Day. A goal of the past year was to expand staff and improve facilities while harmonizing with development at the major-league level.