Cardinals lose Yadier Molina to slight torn ligament in thumb
A September swoon has left the St. Louis Cardinals in a dangerous position with just 13 games left to play. The team has gone through a bit of a slump lately, allowing both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs to gain ground during the final month of the regular season.
Though the Cardinals still have the upper hand, there’s no doubt fans are worried about a potential collapse. To make matters worse, it looks like the team may have to hold off their division mates without catcher Yadier Molina.
Molina is dealing with a “slight torn ligament in his left thumb,” and is going to miss some time.
As general manager John Mozeliak notes, however, the club is optimistic Molina will be able to return during the regular season. Mozeliak added that whether Molina can return will depend on how things go during the next 5-7 days. Molina will be re-evaluated at that point, and the club will make a decision on whether he can come back.
Molina dealt with a similar injury last season, and missed 40 games after undergoing surgery on a torn ligament in his thumb. The fact that the club is talking about him possibly returning in two weeks seems to suggest this injury isn’t as serious. Still, expecting Molina to come back so quickly might be a pipe dream.
Losing Molina for any period of time would be significant. The 33-year-old hasn’t hit to his usual standard this season, and is currently slashing .270/.310/.350 over 530 plate appearances. Despite that, Molina is still regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in the game, and has a sterling reputation working with his pitchers.
Even with the loss, the Cardinals are still in a solid spot. The team has already clinched a playoff spot, and has a four-game lead over Pittsburgh with 13 games to play. That’s not insurmountable, but St. Louis should hold on barring a major collapse.
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While the Molina news is disheartening, there is one reason for optimism. Ace Adam Wainwright has been cleared for baseball activities, and could pitch out of the bullpen before the end of the regular season. That should help offset the loss of Molina somewhat.
Despite all the injuries, St. Louis has managed to post the best record in baseball. With the regular season so close to being over, the club now has to overcome more obstacles. They’ve made it this far without some of their best players, so what’s another 13 games?
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
