Tink Hence looked great last night

[An Old Friend]

10 batters faced, 6 strikeouts:
https://x.com/mlbpipeline/status/193149 ... bW4cOs6KJw

https://x.com/kareemssn/status/19314933 ... bW4cOs6KJw

Tink Hence’s final line:

2.2 IP, H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Hence’s fastball was up 1.5 ticks from his previous rehab outings, averaging 95 MPH and registering 7 whiffs. He also mixed in a hard gyro-SL, a low-80s CB w/ minimal depth, and is still finding feel for his CH.

Excellent sign, looks fantastic in these clips.

[Cusecards]

Encouraging!
Big arm and good stuff.
Can he stay healthy?

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Good sign with him and Mathews both looking pretty good so far coming back from injury.

I hope that once he's up to speed that they take the kid gloves off and start pushing him and letting him get deeper into games. They have to either sink or swim with him, so find out if he can handle the workload or not.

[Cusecards]

Good sign with him and Mathews both looking pretty good so far coming back from injury.

I hope that once he's up to speed that they take the kid gloves off and start pushing him and letting him get deeper into games. They have to either sink or swim with him, so find out if he can handle the workload or not.

How the Cards handle/build their rotation the remainder of 2025 into 2026 will be very interesting.

[jbrach]

10 batters faced, 6 strikeouts:
https://x.com/mlbpipeline/status/193149 ... bW4cOs6KJw

https://x.com/kareemssn/status/19314933 ... bW4cOs6KJw

Tink Hence’s final line:

2.2 IP, H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Hence’s fastball was up 1.5 ticks from his previous rehab outings, averaging 95 MPH and registering 7 whiffs. He also mixed in a hard gyro-SL, a low-80s CB w/ minimal depth, and is still finding feel for his CH.

Excellent sign, looks fantastic in these clips.

time to designate him a closer and let him work on the role, it does not appear he will be able to hold up as a starter

[An Old Friend]

10 batters faced, 6 strikeouts:
https://x.com/mlbpipeline/status/193149 ... bW4cOs6KJw

https://x.com/kareemssn/status/19314933 ... bW4cOs6KJw

Tink Hence’s final line:

2.2 IP, H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Hence’s fastball was up 1.5 ticks from his previous rehab outings, averaging 95 MPH and registering 7 whiffs. He also mixed in a hard gyro-SL, a low-80s CB w/ minimal depth, and is still finding feel for his CH.

Excellent sign, looks fantastic in these clips.

time to designate him a closer and let him work on the role, it does not appear he will be able to hold up as a starter

No.

He’s 22.

[rockondlouie]

His role is future Cardinals Closer.

They should be switching him to that role right now so he's prepped to takeover for R. Helsley.

Upper 90's fastball + wicked change-up = D. Williams type stuff.

We'd all love for him to be a starter, it's foolish to ignore the fact he can't stay healthy handling a starters innings.

"Hope" isn't a strategy.

Prepping him to be a Closer is.

[Swuhgen]

The team needs to stop trying to make him a starter.

[PadsFS07]

I’m excited for Hence to prove these fans wrong.
Also I’ll trust the Cardinals to know how best to build a closer, not randoms on cardstalk.

[billybaseball]

Switching Hence to closer now is asinine. They reworked his deliver and arm slot to eleviate the problems he's been having. Let's see how it goes before we give up on him starting. We are definitely entering the endgame scenario for him though.

[82birds]

nice to see him do well

of course, a AAA guy vs low A guys SHOULD do pretty well.

just want him healthy

[rockondlouie]

What's "asinine" is thinking that into his FIFTH SEASON they've magically "reworked his deliver and have just now found his correct arm slot" so he's good to go 150 innings.

[An Old Friend]

The team needs to stop trying to make him a starter.

Hard disagree. Keep working to stretch him. He’s 22. You don’t quit on arms like his. Hopefully Bloom gets that, and I think he does.

[thetank2]

The team needs to stop trying to make him a starter.

Hard disagree. Keep working to stretch him. He’s 22. You don’t quit on arms like his. Hopefully Bloom gets that, and I think he does.

Based on what? Bloom isn't a pitching coach.

[RunSup]

10 batters faced, 6 strikeouts:
https://x.com/mlbpipeline/status/193149 ... bW4cOs6KJw

https://x.com/kareemssn/status/19314933 ... bW4cOs6KJw

Tink Hence’s final line:

2.2 IP, H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Hence’s fastball was up 1.5 ticks from his previous rehab outings, averaging 95 MPH and registering 7 whiffs. He also mixed in a hard gyro-SL, a low-80s CB w/ minimal depth, and is still finding feel for his CH.

Excellent sign, looks fantastic in these clips.

time to designate him a closer and let him work on the role, it does not appear he will be able to hold up as a starter

No.

He’s 22.

Yes

He's shown he can't stay healthy as a starter.

[An Old Friend]

The team needs to stop trying to make him a starter.

Hard disagree. Keep working to stretch him. He’s 22. You don’t quit on arms like his. Hopefully Bloom gets that, and I think he does.

Based on what? Bloom isn't a pitching coach.

Right, he’s way above the pitching coach.