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The St. Louis Cardinals may have seen the last of Ivan Herrera behind the plate — at least for the foreseeable future. The 25-year-old catcher was assigned to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday for a rehab stint as he recovers from a strained left hamstring. Herrera will serve as the Redbirds’ designated hitter through the All-Star break, and notably, he is not scheduled to catch. In fact, the Cardinals don’t plan to put Herrera back behind the plate for the rest of the 2025 season.
Manager Oliver Marmol addressed the decision, saying, “We have to definitely keep that in mind as far as if we want to keep him healthy for the remaining couple months… We haven’t come up with, like, ‘This is exactly what it will look like,’ but we’re pretty close to [not catching].”
Herrera’s offensive production has been undeniable this season. Before the injury bug hit, he was having a breakout year, slashing .320 with eight home runs, 36 RBIs, and a .925 OPS — the best numbers on the team among everyday players. But two lower-body injuries to his left leg — a bone bruise in April and a hamstring strain in June — have made his long-term durability behind the plate a concern.
Cardinals making changes mid-season as the club battles in the NL Central
Defensively, Herrera has also faced challenges. Opponents are a perfect 15-for-15 on stolen base attempts against him this season. Last year wasn’t much better, as he allowed 55 steals while catching just four would-be base stealers. With his bat clearly being his greatest asset, the Cardinals appear ready to preserve it by limiting his physical toll.
This shift opens the door for Pedro Pagés to solidify his role as the team’s primary catcher. St. Louis has praised Pagés’ ability to manage the pitching staff, and his defensive presence may now become even more valuable. Yohel Pozo is expected to back him up.
As for Herrera’s future, it’s unclear whether a permanent move to first base or DH is in the cards. His only professional experience outside of catching and DHing came in the Caribbean Series, where he made eight starts at first base for Panama between 2021 and 2024. For now, the Cardinals plan to reassess in the offseason.
“I’d like to just finish the year with that being the case and then we can re-evaluate,” Marmol said, “but I wouldn’t go much past that.”
The Herrera situation isn’t the only storyline brewing in St. Louis. The club continues to wrestle with whether to move struggling starter Erick Fedde out of the rotation. After a disastrous outing against the Cubs, the pressure is mounting, especially with rookie Michael McGreevy waiting in the wings.
Meanwhile, Jordan Walker continues his rehab assignment in Springfield after a wrist injury, though struggles at the plate may delay his return. For now, the Cardinals must navigate this tough stretch of July while weighing important long-term decisions — starting with whether Ivan Herrera has caught his last pitch.
