TODAY: Arenado received a pain-killing injection in his forearm today, Marmol told John Denton and other reporters today. It isn’t yet clear if Arenado will need an IL stint, but he wasn’t available for pinch-hitting duties in today’s game.
JUNE 22: Cardinals star Nolan Arenado departed the club’s win over the Giants in the eighth inning today due to discomfort in his left forearm, as noted by MLB.com’s John Denton. Notably, that’s not the same arm that Arenado suffered an elbow contusion on after being struck by a pitch from Marlins right-hander Huascar Brazoban earlier this week. More information was not made available following tonight’s game beyond the fact that Arenado would be evaluated further tomorrow.
It’s an unfortunate turn of events in the midst of what has been a difficult season for the 33-year-old veteran, who is slashing just .260/.315/.375 with a 99 wRC+. That would be Arenado’s first below-average offensive performance in a 162-game season since his rookie campaign back in 2013. He’s paired that lackluster offense with surprisingly pedestrian glovework at third base, where he’s been worth +0 Outs Above Average and -5 Defensive Runs Saved. That’s a far cry from the fielding he offered at the position earlier in his career, when he won the NL Gold Glove award at third base in ten consecutive seasons from 2013 to 2022.
Even with that diminished production this year, however, the loss of Arenado would still be a tough blow for the Cardinals should he end up missing time due to his injury. Not only is he just two seasons removed from a campaign where he was a finalist for the NL MVP award, but the eight-time All Star is the club’s only clear solution at third base given the present construction of the lineup. While former top prospect Jordan Walker came up as a third baseman and is currently in the minors, the 22-year-old has struggled both in Triple-A and at the big league level this year and converted to the outfield full time last year making him an unlikely choice to take over for Arenado in the case of an injury.
Super-utility bat Brendan Donovan has played the hot corner at times, but he’s settled in as the club’s regular left fielder in the absence of Lars Nootbaar. It’s possible that Donovan could slide over to third base and open up left field for Dylan Carlson, but perhaps a more likely scenario would see the Cardinals rely more heavily on bench bats Brandon Crawford and Jose Fermin to fill in for Arenado at third. That’s especially true given the fact that center fielder Michael Siani also exited today’s game due to an injury, though Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat relayed after the game that x-rays on Siani’s ribs after he hit the ground hard on a diving play in the outfield came back negative. The 24-year-old appears to have avoided a major injury, but even a day-to-day issue would at least temporarily weaken the club’s outfield depth noticeably.
As for Nootbaar, the 26-year-old has been sidelined by an oblique strain since the end of May. Jones relays that he appears to be making progress in his rehab but the outfielder has not yet even begun to take batting practice, instead only hitting off a tee at this stage in the process. That would seem to indicate that Nootbaar, who will surely require a rehab assignment before he can return to action, isn’t going to be returning to the club’s positional mix any time soon to provide Marmol additional flexibility as he fills out the club’s lineup card in the wake of Arenado’s and Siani’s possible injuries.
One piece of good news for Cardinals fans is the impending return of star catcher Willson Contreras, who Marmol told reporters (including Jones) will catch seven innings for Triple-A Memphis tonight before DH’ing tomorrow’s game. As Jones notes, Contreras caught for the Redbirds yesterday and Marmol acknowledged that seeing how the 32-year-old held up after catching back to back games was the last major box the club needed to check regarding Contreras’s rehab.
Contreras has been out since early May with a broken forearm and was initially expected to miss ten weeks due to the injury, but the backstop has long since clearly been ahead of that schedule and seems like he could factor into the club’s plans before the end of the month. The slugger posted an excellent .280/.398/.551 slash line in 31 games for the Cardinals this year before being sidelined by the injury and could provide a boost to an offense that has posted a collective wRC+ of just 95 to this point in the season.
What about Edman? Any updates there?
He’s supposed to be starting a rehab soon.
Truly Arenado needs to rest as long as he’s back in a couple weeks it’s probably a good thing not a bad thing long term. Unfortunately with Edman and Nootbaar still out the bench is very thin. Walker also playing rather poorly at AAA isn’t helping either. Might be time for a trade.
Just like the Matz situation earlier the Cards have so much depth. Simply move the hot Donavan over to third no problem. Maybe call up another young phenomenal outfield. The Cards are simply loaded with talent. Actually might improve the offense.
The offense besides Burleson and Winn consistently struggles. The farm system is ranked 24th. Not sure where all the talent you are speaking of is hiding.
There’s an outfielder named koperniak that’s red hot down there and has great career minor league numbers. Maybe time to call him up
He’s also 26 and in AAA. Been with the club for 7 years. He doesn’t meet the qualifications of phenomenal nor talent.
If he’s playing good though…
Also Matt Carpenter was 25-26 when he first came up. Some guys figure it out later.
And lots of guys do great at AA and AAA but can’t hit MLB curveballs and exploding sliders.
Gorman was a 3B coming up. Move him over there. Better at 3B than at 2B, where his glove is average, at best.
Gorman is a butcher with the glove.
This is the most obvious move. Fermin or Prieto could be called on to play 2B. It would be nice to get an extended look at one of them. The loss of Arenado for little while doesn’t scare me at all. He’s one of the most replaceable players in the lineup.
Bring up Prieto stick him at 3rd
Prieto. 2nd? 3rd? I don’t think he cares. To me, and I’ve been following him since AA Bowie, dude just wants to get his hacks in at the plate.
He will hit,no matter where he plays.
Yeah bring Prieto up the rest could be sorted out.
Terrible idea. Gorman has settled with reps into an average defensive 2B with tons of power, its not smart to turn back the clock
Fill 3B with Donnie, Crawford or Fermin, fine as a stopgap unless or until Arenado’s injury takes him past the ASB
I wish we have more intelligent commentors, here. The Cards offense will be better than any team in the NL. Padres worry me. Maybe Arizona. But the Cards are better than the Braves, or Dodgers, offensively speaking. Who will they add to the rotation? It will decide how far they go.
Unfortunate that it hasn’t translated to a division lead or even a winning record.
Your wish for more intelligent commenters should start with yourself. You don’t look like a genius suggesting the Cardinals offense, which hasn’t been anything special this season, “will be better than any team in the NL.”
Hypocrite much dumb dumb? You definitely aren’t intelligent by any means. Start with yourself I suggest before you preach homer
They’re 93 OPS+ is one point higher than the Cubs and 11 pts below the Brewers’ 104 OPS+. What are you talking about? That is just their own division.
Watch and see, when Contreres,Edman and Nootbar return. Nobody will want to face that line-up!
@Spud Are you referring to the fear career .265 and .244 hitters(Edman-Nootbar) invoke?
Contreas was hitting .280 with 6 HRs, while injured Herrera filled in hitting .279 with 3 HRs.
I’m just don’t seeing any paradigm shift in their lineup by the return of those 3.
Tigers,
I think spudchukar is wrong, but citing mostly BA and a brief reference to HR doesn’t indicate much as the players’ offensive abilities.
@gbs What else should be referenced? Edman and Nootbar we re talking about to players who hit for average or below contact and average or below power.
I’m a firm believer in analytics, but for inspiring fear in pitchers one needs to put the barrel on the ball and hit it hard when they do.
As far as Contreas, he’s an amazing offensive catcher. However in his absence Herrera had provided equal production til his recent injury. So until just a few games ago Contreas void in the lineup up was being equally matched.
spudchukar: Nobody but lots of MLB pitchers will want to face that lineup!
Somebody sitting outside of Busch Stadium blowing their horn like crazy. Oh, it’s JD Davis! I wonder what he wants?
He was traded to the Yankees today.
They mention Jeff Jones of the Belleview News 3 times…
Since the Cardinals are playing so great at this time of the season, I wonder if they will try to trade Newar since they don’t need him.
I meant Nootbart
I think you actually meant Nootbaar.
Damn Siri. LOL
Cardinals have the best coach in MLB if they are 2 games over 500 with the worst lineup in history
… or the lineup is bad because of the coaching.
Coaches can’t do the hitting for the players.
Yet certain coaches and organizations find ways to improve players while others watch their players regress rather than improve.
More accurately, certain organizations find better players to start with.
Those same smart organizations are wasting millions a year on player development instead of just letting them play with their natural talent. Got it.
“Surprisingly pedestrian” – LOL Arenado has had mediocre defense for years now. It’s the absolute dumpster fire Gold Glove voters who have been propping him up. Robbing KeBryan Hayes who has topped him in all defensive categories.
The team is fine without Arenado. As for Nootbar, I’m growing tired of him quite honestly. Same old, same old with him. You can always count on him getting hurt. It’s just a given. How some of these kids get hurt consistently in a non contact sport, while being in their 20’s is beyond me.