5:22pm: Molina will likely miss around three weeks and surgery won’t be required, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other media.
4:14pm: The Cardinals have announced (Twitter links) a series of roster moves in advance of their second-half opener on Friday. Catcher Yadier Molina is heading to the 10-day injured list due to a right thumb tendon strain, with an IL placement retroactive to July 8. Coming back from the IL is infielder Matt Carpenter, who has been out of action since June 29 with a lower back sprain. The Cards also sent Rangel Ravelo and southpaw Tyler Webb to Triple-A and moved Jordan Hicks to the 60-day IL, while calling up catcher Andrew Knizner and selecting the contract of left-hander Chasen Shreve from Triple-A.
This is the second time this season that Molina has missed time due to his troublesome right thumb, as the same injury also put the longtime St. Louis backstop on the IL from May 31 to June 11. It’s fair to assume that the nagging nature of Molina’s thumb problem is at least partially responsible for his lack of production this season, though Molina was also struggling prior to May 31. Overall, Molina has only a .261/.286/.368 slash line and four homers over 276 plate appearances, making him one of several veteran Cardinals who are seemingly all having down years at the same time.
This list includes Carpenter, who has a career-worst .216/.325/.381 with 10 home runs over 326 PA. While his IL stint was minimal, he and the Cards are surely hoping that this brief time off combined with the All-Star break is enough to finally get his bat moving close to the MVP-level production that Carpenter provided over the last three-plus months of the 2018 season. Carpenter only had a .739 OPS over his first 234 PA last season before exploding for a .983 OPS over his final 443 PA.
Last season’s results notwithstanding, Carpenter’s cold streak this season has lasted longer and reached deeper depths than his slow start to 2018. His power and hard-hit ball rates have both fallen significantly, while the quality of his contact has also dropped off (.324 xwOBA in 2019, as opposed to a .392 xwOBA in 2018).
Carpenter will resume his usual duties at third base, though the hot-hitting Tommy Edman retained his spot on the MLB roster after his strong performance as Carpenter’s fill-in. Knizner and Matt Wieters will handle the catching duties while Molina is out.
Why bring up shreve??? He’s left handed but so what he’s of no value.
He’s been decent in the past and is doing pretty decent in the minors this year
He has been much more than decent the past few weeks. If one pays attention to the Memphis team daily you would find that Shreve has put together a lengthy string of outstanding outings. His call-up is no surprise.
Shreve has…an arm. He’s been less bad than he’d seem.
Don’t get me wrong his stuff is “just ok”. But he can throw a baseball and that’s kind of what we need now. This is my weakest attempt for trying to stick up for someone ever, but yeah.
My guess is the Cardinals are bringing Shreve up to showcase him for a possible trade piece. Many contending teams need an experienced left handed reliever.
I don’t know about that. There seems to be a lot of lefty bp arms out there.
No way any contender is giving up anything for Shreve. Plus the Cardinals think they’re contenders anyway and would never entertain the idea of selling. Thus, mediocrity.
Matt Weiters still plays?
He’s played well as Yadi’s backup. Never was a fan but he’s done as well as I could have hoped for the Cards. Perhaps it was all the hype early in his career that soured my view?
Casual fan?
Molina must have sprained his thumb tweeting about Marisnick.
Nice try stroh but he’s the toughest catcher in the game hands down. Unlike you little troll with poor open mic jokes.
I feel like the “toughest catcher in the game” wouldn’t be whining on social media about a home plate collision
Agreed. A vet like Molina should know better.
If you can find someone who takes a high nineties low 100’s foul tip off the mask better I’d like to meet him or her but you won’t. Also, I guess you’re not aware but an all-star catcher just quit catching for good over concussions. If you’re ok with it I’m sure you’ll be okay with them hitting him next time they play. I’d throw at his head personally but I doubt they will.
He has had multiple bad concussions in his life so, yes, he can “whine” all he wants
I don’t think the collision was intentional and I felt the whining was below the supposed “toughest catcher in the game”. I’m sure every catcher has had multiple concussions and most of them don’t take to twitter to point a finger and demand punishment when an accident happens
Hmm, I feel like worthless trolls your invalid opinions and selective memories or never watching baseball don’t matter as Yadier has proved concussions, most innings caught, playing through many injuries,as well having to have surgery on his groin from a hicks pitch last year as well as the many hits he’s taken before the rule the past few years. Whining, umm he was sticking up for a catcher, a friend who took a hit and concussion that could have been avoided.
Lol I am a troll because I disagree with you and give a different opinion? Ok..
You are a troll for Yadi if anyone is a troll here and most of what you said had nothing to do with what I said. He’s “sticking up for a catcher” by throwing shade on social media to someone over an accidental situation. Quit being an internet toughguy and discuss things like an adult
Intention is a difficult word to define. It sure didn’t look like Marisnick “intended” to slide.
I see one guy in this entire thread acting like an internet tough guy and its johnrealtime.
Give it up with this toughest guy crap. I bet you couldn’t name 2 catchers outside the Central division without looking it up. Quit sucking azz on here acting like Cards players are some kind of immortal gods. You sound like Sylvester Karraker and Brianna Thompson on that shiite FM station.
I can name most catchers and the Cardinals have always valued defense above all else at catcher. Again @Nick Stevens, calling us out, name a tougher catcher. I can but his name is Mike Matheney, while playing with the Brewers (I believe) he was hit in the face and stood there spitting out teeth. So put your money where yourouth is and tell me what catcher and what play you’re referring to and I’ll check it out. Molina has taken a foul tip off his mask more than other catchers as far as I’ve seen and doesn’t even take the moment the ump offers him.
Oh look, troll boy doing what he does best
I had a comment that never got posted, but in short, every catcher is tough in this league. Be be naive enough to think they aren’t, or to single one out as the toughest, is just asinine.
Come on nick…Molina is hands down one of the toughest in the game…yes he is getting old but he got hit in the “ place we shall not mention” and was back in a month…not to mention he catches almost every game…yes he is declining but I’ve never saw a tougher catcher…plus I’m waiting also..name a tougher catcher
You’re wasting your breath. Nick is a cardinals hater and loves to put down everything cardinals related.
You ask any catcher to take a Hicks pitch to the balls and come back from that? Nick you definitely are the online cardinals fan meaning one who just complains and yet fails to realize at least in my lifetime 3 world championships and yet you act like the cardinals are orioles. Give it a rest and go find joy in something
Since you guys won’t give this ridiculous discussion a rest, how about Darren Daulton?
Johnny Bench. Jason Varitek. Pudge Rodriguez.
So three hof’ers. Varitek couldn’t take a foul tip off the mask better, Pudge may be better than Varitek but not better than Molina, not to mention he was on rounds. J Bench I’ve never really seen play but he probably didn’t either. I didn’t call him the toughest but you’ve not watched many games if you think he doesn’t take a foul better. Caught stealing rate is important but as you pointed out, blah intelligent, but failed to understand that the best catcher, rf’er, etc doesn’t get the most assists, caught stealing % all the time because they don’t try and steal/take the extra base.
Still waiting Nick even Bench is a fan of Molina. Varitek yiu mean even during his days where he caught just Wakefield, daulton would be if I we asked for best greasy mullet, pudge is great but even Molina’s highlights of huts outweigh his you have to remember he’s befriend this rule and you just have hate you troll. Not even an intelligent one, took you a while to google catchers lol
not to mention and I say this with confidence, one of the most intelligent players ever…watch yadi highlights reels…he out smarts players all the time…i was talking about today’s catchers…I’m not arguing the best catcher ever with yadi but In his day there hasn’t been a better defensive tough catcher…sorry nick but people who try and say Molina isn’t good or whatever reason they hate on him doesn’t respect the game…he is without doubt an elite
What’s with the foul tip crap? He takes them better? All I remember is him going on IL because of a shot somewhere in the babymaking region.
If Yadier is tough then so is Brandon Phillips.
Yadier is barely in the top 3 in his own family in terms of toughness.
I’ll go one further, foul tips, I’d say Yadier should have produced more offensively given his amazing athletic ability. He the most talented catcher since Pudge.
…but not the best since Pudge. Let’s stop anointing him as a God of the catcher position. Two time champion and should probably have at least 4.
You obviously don’t watch the cardinals…
TrimReaper, you’re wasting your time. You will never convince the sheeple in this town that Molina isn’t the best catcher of all time. They will even try to convince you he’s the best hitting catcher too. One clown thinks I had to google catchers to come up with Bench, Varitek and Pudge. He also called Varitek, the guy who was Wakefield’s personal catcher, even though it was Doug Mirabelli. Then, another guy called me out when I mentioned 3 hall of fame catchers, Pudge, Bench and Varitek, as better than Molina. Funny, I don’t recall Varitek being in the Hall of Fame? This is what you deal with on here when talking Cardinals. Uninformed and complete bias.
Sadmf, aka ASDFGH, you really don’t have a clue. If you don’t know something as factual, don’t post it. You ever hear of Doug Mirabelli? I get tired of correcting you all the time. Also, to all you people who claim 100% Molina as the “toughest” catcher. You do realize that will NEVER be proven as FACT? Correct? It’s an OPINION. That’s all it is.
I am aware Nick. I’m not always right and I can acknowledge that. However, many times I have been correct and have taken nice beatings. Online life….
Molina’s been fun to watch. In fact the Blue Jays had both his brothers and I enjoyed watching them behind the plate. Running, however, not so much.
Hard to measure toughness behind the plate. I remember watching Pat Borders take shot after shot from wild things like David Cone, Jack Morris, Dave Stewart, Juan Guzman and others with electric stuff that darted everywhere. He took a beating and kept moving forward. Charlie O’Brien was tough as nails too.
Speaking of O’Brien, he was the man who introduced hockey masks to MLB. Guess who wears it? Molina! Plus he wears waaaay more padding than Varitek and his predecessors. Those guys were tough. I’m sure they would have played longer and more effective had they been as protected as Molina.
I stand by my comment; Molina should have 4 rings playing with Pujols, Edmonds, Wainwright and for LaRussa.
I never disagreed about Molina being a tough, good catcher. However, I don’t bow to the media with the claims he’s the second coming. If you believe in the “could have should have philosophy”, then give the Braves of the 1990s about 3 more WS titles. I don’t mind being corrected on facts on this forum, but I can’t stand when fans pass along opinion as fact, and then tell me I’m wrong.
Agreed. I think people automatically jump to conclusions when a fan criticizes their own team. You’ve been passionate but fair.
When it comes to Molina, it’s off the charts insecurity.
Bench has 1 year on Yadi in his career but only caught 12 games in his last 3 years of service. All catchers are tough plain and simple.
And it is Molina’s fault he doesn’t have more championships? What?
You’re saying the Cards shouldn’t have more titles in the last 15 years considering the talent they have possessed? Considering they had a once in a generation hitter for 11 seasons? Considering the two least likely Cards teams DID win? Are you saying the Cards couldn’t have cashed in more?
The point was not placing blame squarely on Molina. The point is he is just one man with a very nice career balanced by great defense and thankless work behind the plate. Some people have been a bit over the top about Molina’s career bordering on absurdity.
Pretty coincidental that he most likely will miss the series with the Astros around the end of this month
Oh yeah I am sure Molina went on the IL, so he wouldn’t have to face Marisnick and the Astros. Please return to Infowars.
molina would have been much farther in front of the plate. no collision
That front office in St. Louis still thinks it’s 2004.
Exactly right! Molina isnt done just yet but they need to stop with the “our guys” mentality and back off a little on the over the top loyalty to aging players. These players have become bigger than the team and that never works
Unfortunately you are correct! Especially I Carpenter’s case because it’s more glaring. Lead off man hitting .216. Ok…play him, but bat him where he deserves to bat…8th !!!
I’ll have to agree with that rookiegreg…they need to stop with the our guys loyalty and move on…hence the carp extension
Everything changed when Luhnow left. DeWitt let the wrong guy walk.
Yup! Lucky Houston!
Lucky, not so much being able to build a farm system while tanking for what 5 years or so. They have won one but even their streak of playoffs doesn’t match what ended only 3 years ago, also 2 games out.
All those dumb Instagram comments got em good.
Why did they extend that bum. Carpenter should have been traded at least a couple years ago. M Adams could have stepped in and been traded himself and or platooned with Voit. I know it’s hindsight now but I was calling for it for a while. We missed on trading Wacha, Martinez, and (I would have missed on this one also) Reyes. I thought they should have traded Gyorko and Grichuck. Piscotty was a favorite of mine but I wouldn’t have traded him when they did. I’m sorry his mother was dieing but this is a business and he’s compensated extremely well for a job that’s not year round. I would have given him some of spring training and even some personal days to spend with her but I wouldn’t have traded him to a competitor for the return they did. He’s wealthy enough to either fly her here or fly to see her when he had time. I wouldn’t have traded for Ozuna when they did but before that years would have tried.
So you would trade anyone and everyone at any given time? Yes, I realize a few are past their prime but you sound as if any player who has value should be traded.
Close to the worst contract in baseball. I thought he was close to cut when he got 20M a year. Also, what a pear. Then he wants the tattoos and the neg comments. The Cards will do well to be without him.
Lol really the tattoos? Who cares. Nowhere near the worst catcher in baseball
Considering the Cards are going nowhere fast, I hope we get to see Knizner get some meaningful playing time. Transition to a new guard should have started already
Transition should have started, I agree. Like I said already he was on a decent contract and could have been moved. Imagine the legitimate returns from Carpenter+Wacha and the Martinez+Adams trades. Honestly at the right time (I understand it’s best case scenario’s) DegGrom, Syndergard, Arrenando, Acuna, Soto etc. I should mention the last two would have taken a Reyes or someone and I wasn’t too high on trading him before the first injury, then his value would be lower. I have a major problem with trading Voit for little (I like Gallegos) and then blowing Kelly/Weaver on Goldschmidt. They could have gotten Cron for little to nothing and sent him for the same package to the Yankees. If you look at the money saved from just two of these moves that gets Machado. I hate to pay him that much but it would be a brighter future. I know it’s decided along time before the international market but how were they not in on Tatist Jr, either signing or trading for him. We had to have a comparable piece. I’m not sure they would have done it but the Cardinals should have tried to get Cole, even if it meant seriously outbidding Houston. They could have sent Mikolas, Martinez and Weaver/Galen+Gomber for Arrenando possibly. Lots of what ifs but bottom line is they should have done a reload or two by now.
This isn’t fantasy, Colorado wasn’t trading Arenado.
Molina’s age is why he can’t hit or field any longer, not his thumb.
Who says he can’t field? He stops teams from even thinking of running, gets extra calls, and is clutch. I’d take him over any veteran catcher this year.
You really can’t have ever played baseball or tried to grip anything with your hands, or maybe you are gripping something now quite weakly and you have an over use injury. You can’t maintain a strong grip on a baseball bat with any type of thumb tendon strain, and that’s why Molina hasn’t been hitting for power.
Power? Molina is not a power hitter. Never has been. But cute gripping reference. That really got me. Really put me in my place.
No, only you reside in that dark, dank, oozing subterranean hellhole of a brain. Thank God.
What’s next for you? I know you are but what am I?
Throwing baserunners out in a league where stealing bases is basically obsolete, is not the fielding I’m talking about. I’m talking about watching him move behind the plate. He’s limited at that now. Realmuto 49% caught stealing rate. Leads league. Carson Kelly 35%. Molina 31%. But most intelligent baseball people understand that MOST steals are made off the pitcher.
He moves very well around the plate. Try watching a game sometime Nicky before you comment.
You really need to get a clue.
Why not wait for his injured thumb to heal before making such a statement? Yadi will be fine. Great defense is still there and the bat will bounce back. Maybe not .300 w/20 HR but he will provide value with the bat. All the while mentoring Knizner
My statement about him behind the plate and his movement back there has nothing to do with his thumb. It’s about his legs. Only the Cardinals think a 37 year old catcher can still play like he’s 27.
Citing catcher’s caught stealing percentages is argueably the dumbest of a mounting number of dumb-assed opinions emminating from Nasty Nicky. Dude please get a clue.
Oh I see. It’s only worthwhile to cite Molina’s caught stealing % when it fits? Like every broadcast for the last 10 years I had to hear how great Molina is and nobody wants to run in him. Only then it works? Right fudpucker?
Can they just do a complete swap and send everyone to the minors and bring up a whole new squad?
No.
Why is Carp just activated. Use this chance to send him on a rehab assignment to see if there is any chance in hell he can get his swing back.
Oh boy!!! Matt Carpenter is activated for tonight game!!! If he leads off, and Goldy bats second that will be just ducky. Between the top 2 in the Cardinals line up struck out over 180 times. How in the world does that generate any early offense???
We could bat Tyler O’Neill 3rd for even more strikeouts.
He was resting his chronic lower back.