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With each passing cameo appearance in the majors and the inevitable return to the minors his role requires, the Cardinals hope that Michael McGreevy hears the same message.

“He knows he belongs,” manager Oliver Marmol said.

Eventually, that means he’ll stay.

The Cardinals are calling on McGreevy again Tuesday to make a spot start and assure the rotation all around him gets an added day of rest. It will be McGreevy’s third start of the season, and two of them will have come against the Chicago Cubs and reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Wedged in between was last week’s sudden start against the Chicago White Sox that began with a pre-dawn wake-up call to catch a sunrise flight from Memphis, Tennessee, to Chicago. Despite conceding he felt “gassed,” McGreevy spun five innings and struck out five in a win. And then he returned to Memphis to await the promotion this week.

“Just really good self-awareness, but also honest communication has allowed for him to have a really good understanding of what his future looks like,” Marmol said. “He is not guessing. He knows we like him. He knows he belongs. But what’s best for the big picture right now is this. At some point, that will change.”

Around his three previous big league appearances and two starts, McGreevy has gone 7-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 12 starts for the Triple-A Redbirds.

He’s 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in the majors.

What he’s done in both places is build upon an impressive spring and show more ways to attack the left-handed batters lined up to challenge him. McGreevy has done of that with his pitch usage — increasing the use of his cutter and slider and targeting the use of his sinker.

“Sometimes you can be told what’s best or how to best use your stuff against certain handedness,” Marmol said. “It doesn’t matter unless you’re convicted behind doing it. He has seen some of the results that have come from changing his usage, and he’s convicted behind what that looks like now.”

The Cardinals identified Tuesday as their next time to utilize McGreevy as a sixth starter, and off-days ahead mean they may downshift soon after. A rainout this past week in Chicago gave McGreevy the unplanned start, and he made the most of it despite not have the best of his stuff, he said. After the game he said it was a day with difficult travel to meet a need in the majors and “one of those outings you have to put your head down and grind.”

That would also describe his season.

For now.

Graceffo move reveals O’Brien’s rise

The Cardinals’ carousel in the bullpen spun again Monday as they returned Gordon Graceffo to Class AAA Memphis in exchange for a fresh arm, right-hander Roddery Munoz. His stay could be brief as the Cardinals will need a spot for McGreevy on Tuesday.

The move means that both Graceffo and Andre Granillo, two right-handers who have done well in the majors, will not be available for around two weeks due to roster rules, unless there is an injury or doubleheader.

That speaks to the team’s growing trust in Riley O’Brien.

Coming out of the bullpen, the right-hander is second in high-octane velocity to closer Ryan Helsley, and O’Brien has touched 99 mph consistently. He also has some of the best strikeout stuff — whiffing six of the 22 batters he’s faced over the past 6 2/3 innings.

Graceffo pitched two scoreless innings Sunday against the Reds, and Marmol explained that any use of the right-hander Monday would push him into more appearances in fewer days than he’s ever done. That made the roster necessary in the team’s eyes for protection.

“By having that extra arm — that Graceffo spot, if we throw him today (it’s) throwing another 35-40 pitches, and that would be three out of four,” Marmol said. “That’s not something he’s done. That is not something he needs to do in June at the big league level for the first time. Is it ideal? No. You’re not in the big leagues. I feel we’ve rotated that spot in a way that has been meaningful for the big picture in a really positive way this year.”

Cards lag behind in All-Star support

In Monday’s update on fan voting for the All-Star Game, Cardinals candidates slid in their support at individual positions — or did not appear at all in the top vote-getters. Brendan Donovan continues to rank highest for Cardinals. He’s fifth at second base with 525,923 votes, behind leader Ketel Marte (1,561,235) and runner-up Tommy Edman (1,059,174). Herrera ranks No. 7 at designated hitter, Nolan Arenado ninth at third base, and Masyn Winn is 10th at shortstop.

The Cardinals do not have a catcher or outfielder who cracked the top 10 or 20, respectively, at the position. Alec Burleson, a leading hitter for the Cardinals, does not appear on the ballot. Fans must write him in.

The 95th Midsummer Classic will be held July 15 at Atlanta’s Truist Park, and based on the voting trends, the Cardinal(s) headed to the game will be selected by his peers.

Former Cardinals Paul Goldschmidt, now the Yankees’ first baseman, and current Cubs catcher Carson Kelly have received the second-most votes at their positions.

Cubs notes: Imanaga and more

One of the top pitchers in the division entering this season, lefty Shoto Imanaga will return to the Cubs rotation Thursday in the series finale against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Imanaga started the year 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts before missing almost eight weeks with a left hamstring injury. Imanaga made three rehab appearances in the minors in preparation.

The Cubs set their rotation for the series with James Taillon (7-4, 3.84) announced the starter for Tuesday’s game and Matthew Boyd (6-3, 2.84) announced as Wednesday’s starter.

The Cubs also promoted former All-Star Michael Fulmer on Monday to fortify the bullpen. Fulmer, the AL’s Rookie of the Year in 2016 as a starter for Detroit, had a 2.96 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings for the Cubs’ Class AAA Iowa affiliate. Reliever Porter Hodge (hip impingement) joined the Cubs in ӣ����Ƶ after retiring one of eight batters he faced in a rehab appearance Friday. Craig Counsell said the team “will figure out” when he’s active.

Herrera, etc.

Ivan Herrera (hamstring) was on the field hours before first pitch going through some light movement drills. He has not been inactive in the days since going on the 10-day injured list with a Grade II tear in his hamstring. He has been able to work out in the weight room and be active, though his recovery is still measured in weeks and potentially a month.

• Class AAA Memphis’ infielder Jose Fermin and lefty Quinn Mathews won the International League’s player and pitcher of the week awards, respectively. Fermin hit .550 with two homers and a 1.633 on-base plus slugging percentage. Mathews struck out six in five scoreless innings in his one-hitter.