Former St. Louis Cardinals RHP Jordan Walden Signs with Atlanta Braves

In the least surprising development of the Cardinals’ offseason,Jordan Waldenwon’t return to St. Louis in 2017.

As SB Nation’sChris Cotillo first reported on Saturday, righthanded reliever Jordan Walden has signed a minor-league contract with the Atlanta Braves. Walden will receive a $1 million-dollar base salary if he makes the Braves’ big-league roster, and he could make up to $2 million in incentives.

Walden, who was on the St. Louis Cardinals’ roster for the past two seasons, returns to the club the Cardinals acquired him from in November of 2014, when he came over along withJason Heywardin the deal that sentShelby MillerandTyrell Jenkinsto Atlanta.

The Cardinals sure didn’t get much use out of Walden, whose Cardinals career was limited to 10 1/3 innings spanning 12 appearances in April of 2015. While he posted dominant numbers over that short stretch–a 0.87 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 12 strikeouts, and four walks–Walden struggled with injuries for the remainder of his Cardinals tenure.

The Cardinals placed him on the DL with right bicep inflammation on May 3, 2015, and he never pitched for the team in a regular season game again. He made four rehab appearances in July of that year and pitched in eight spring training games in March of this year, but that bicep soreness and an accompanying shoulder strain have ultimately prevented him from pitching in the big leagues ever since.

Next: Yadier Molina's Gold Glove Streak Comes to an End

The Cardinals harbored a bit of hope that Walden might be able to contribute down the stretch in 2016, but their frustrations boiled over when Waldenfailed to report for a rehab assignmentin early September. He had a $5.25 million-dollar option for 2017, but the Cardinals chose to accept the $250,000 buyout instead last week.

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