X-rays were negative on Yadier Molina’s left wrist after the catcher was hit by a pitch during the seventh inning of the Cardinals’ 5-4 win over the Pirates last night. Molina was behind the plate for the bottom half of the seventh before being replaced by pinch-hitter Matt Wieters in the top of the eighth. Cards manager Mike Shildt told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters that Molina “got hit in the same spot, pretty much” that Ryan Braun also made contact with Molina’s wrist earlier this week on a swing that drew a catcher’s interference call on Molina.
It isn’t yet known if Molina will require any time off, though missing any games will be a blow to a Cardinals team that needs all hands on deck as it tries to lock up a playoff spot. Molina has hit .256/.296/.342 over 126 PA this season and spent three weeks on the injured list after a positive COVID-19 test.
More injury notes from around the National League…
- The Brewers placed Ben Gamel on the 10-day IL due to a left quad strain, so the outfielder’s 2020 season is over. Lorenzo Cain’s decision to opt out of the 2020 campaign left Gamel with a larger workload, and he assumed regular duty between center field and right field for much of the season. The result was a .237/.315/.404 slash line and three home runs over 127 PA, working out to a 91 OPS+ and 92 wRC+. It wasn’t a bad showing for a player who is probably best suited for fourth outfielder duty, though it remains to be seen if Gamel has done enough for the Brewers to exercise their $2.55MM club option on his services for the 2021 season.
- Walker Buehler threw a 90-pitch simulated game yesterday and is slated to be activated off the 10-day IL for a Thursday start. (MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick was among those to report the news.) Buehler has made two trips to the injured list due to blister problems, resulting in just seven innings pitched since August 21. Thursday’s start against the Athletics will therefore serve as an opportunity for Buehler to warm up prior to the Dodgers’ postseason run. Buehler is still expected to be a big factor for Los Angeles during the playoffs, though he hasn’t quite matched his 2019 form in this shortened season. Thanks in large part to a 1.9 HR/9, Buehler has a 3.86 ERA over 32 2/3 innings in 2020, though with a 3.60 K/BB rate, 9.9 K/9, and generally above-average Statcast numbers.
- Sonny Gray is tentatively scheduled to return during the Reds’ upcoming series with the Brewers, perhaps as early as Tuesday. However, Reds manager David Bell told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer and other reporters that no “final, final call” will be made until the team sees how Gray is feeling following a side session on Saturday. Gray has been on the injured list (retroactively) since September 11 due to a back strain, and his return would be a major boost as the Reds chase a postseason berth.
This may be the end of Gamel with the Brewers because Braun will take over as the 4th outfielder spot plus Cain will probably retire. So the Brewers will be signing George Springer for center.
Why will Cain retire ? Do you mean Braun?
No I mean Cain I think it is quite possible he may retire with everything going on. Braun I believe will come back at a much lower rate maybe like 4 or 5 million. Yellich will be the left fielder. Then if Garcia is in right. With Braun and maybe Cain coming off the books they could very well be in a bid for Springer or they do have some young pitching that they could trade for Frazier in my opinion.
All of that is extremely wrong, and the Brewers are definitely not signing Springer. No way we tie up 50+ million a year in just 2 outfielders
This is laughably wrong.
I doubt Cain retires. I doubt even more Braun would be a reserve/4th of’er. If he comes back, he’ll be DH/OF just like this year, with the usual games off.
And I see no way the brewers spend big on anyone at any position.
Brewers spent some nice cheese for Garcia and he has been a disappointment. Haven’t had a reliable 1B since Fielder went down several moons ago. Maybe Braun plays 1B next year?
The rest of the infield is in flux. Hiura (Maybe he plays 1B next year?) is weak at 2B. Arcia is probably best suited for a utility role. And I’m still waiting to see that superior “hit tool” that all the scouting reports assigned to Urias.
Narvarez has been a bigger disappointment than Garcia. Is Nottingham an everyday player? Hmm. Probably not.
Love our bullpen (Hader, Williams and Freddy, but the starting rotation, aside from Woodruff, needs to be overhauled.
That’s a lot of repair work to complete between now and next spring. And it all has to be done without the help from a big checkbook.
Ever heard of a guy named Corbin Burnes? I’ll bet at least 20 clubs would love to make him a part of any overhaul of the Crew’s starting rotation.
Yep, but with Burnes, you really don’t know what you’re going to get from year to year. He’s been lights out over his recent starts, but prior to that dominance, he was only so so. And last year was about as ugly as ugly can get. Hope what we’re seeing now is what we’ll see from him next year, but that’s not a solid slam dunk.