The Cardinals placed Brendan Donovan on the 10-day injured list before tonight’s game against the Marlins. He’s dealing with a left groin strain. The placement is retroactive to August 15, so he’ll be eligible to return in a week. José Fermín is up from Triple-A Memphis to provide infield insurance in the interim.
Donovan has dealt with a seemingly minor groin issue over the past week or so. He was out of the lineup for a couple games two weekends ago. He returned for the early part of last week but sat out the entire series against the Yankees last weekend. IL stints can be backdated by a maximum of three days. Rather than continuing to play shorthanded, the Cards elected to sideline Donovan to get an extra infielder on the roster.
The 28-year-old Donovan is hitting .279/.348/.402 across 476 plate appearances. He has connected on nine homers and 25 doubles with his usual plus contact skills. After hitting in the three hole for the early part of the season, he has worked at the top of the lineup going back to the middle of June. Lars Nootbaar is now operating as the leadoff hitter, at least against right-handed pitching, while Thomas Saggese is drawing into the lineup at second base.
St. Louis was swept by the Yankees and has dropped five in a row. They’ve failed to capitalize on the Mets’ skid and are now 5.5 games back in the Wild Card picture. It increasingly looks like the race for the National League’s last postseason spot will come down to New York and Cincinnati. The Cards were soft sellers at the trade deadline and are more focused on getting looks at young players in the season’s final six weeks. With Nolan Arenado uncertain to return this season, the Cards are giving everyday third base reps to Nolan Gorman. Saggese, a rookie, hasn’t hit since April and now carries a .252/.286/.338 line through 147 plate appearances on the season.
I’m a Cardinal fan to the bitter end….tastes bitter lately.
Unless the Cardinals get on some amazing winning streak, the playoffs are not in their future, so might as well rest Donnie back to full health.
Time is definitely running out to get on that winning strak. Especially when they take 2 out of 3 from the Dodgers, and finish 2-4 against the Rockies for the season.
Couldn’t happen to a better fanbase
People are still jealous of the most successful franchise in the National League
Why could they not just admit it and tell us fans that they are waiting tell next year to call up JJ Wetherholt.
Donnie Franchise
Good win tonight. We got contributions up and down the lineup and the bullpen was solid. I’m glad to see Fermin even though I would prefer Wetherholt. Hopefully Donny can get himself right and come back for a strong September.
Why not Wetherholt ??
Because if he’s going to make his debut, it’s going to be at home.