SEATTLE • Veteran catcher Brayan Pena, the backup the Cardinals signed to alleviate Yadier Molina’s workload this season, will join the team in Kansas City on Monday and force the team to decide whether he’s ready for that role imagined.
Pena completed his rehab assignment Sunday at Class AA Springfield, exhausting the 20 days he had in the minors to recover his swing and stamina behind the plate. The Cardinals have until Tuesday to add him to the active roster or consider the disabled list. Pena’s return could squeeze current backup Eric Fryer to Class AAA shortly after he started Sunday’s game and shepherded Jaime Garcia through 5 2/3 innings.