[BigRedChief]

The Cardinals decided that the 2019 closer was ready to do the job in 2018.
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The conversation started Sunday after hotshot rookie Jordan Hicks blistered through the Washington Nationals lineup in a sudden appearance no one expected him to make as recently as last week.

The Cardinals wondered if he was closer to the majors than planned.

They've decided he wasn't just close -- he was ready.

In a stunning 11th-hour change to the roster, the Cardinals will promote Hicks on Wednesday or Thursday morning for the opening day roster. One of the quickest departures from spring training camp will now be an early arrival in the majors, leaping all the way from High-A to Citi Field in a single week. The righthander will take a spot in the Cardinals bullpen.

To make room for him on the active roster, the Cardinals optioned John Brebbia to Class AAA Memphis. The decision was finalized Tuesday afternoon, an official confirmed to The Post-Dispatch.

The front office, coaching staff, and even catcher Yadier Molina had conversations about whether Hicks was ready to leap from High-A to the majors.

"Stuff is stuff," manager Mike Matheny said.

Hicks, 21, has a fastball that was clocked at 102 mph during spring training, and he throws a fastball at 99 mph that has sink to it. He offsets that pitch with a slider that he can throw for a strike and a changeup that showed greater command and depth this past spring.