Subscribe
Follow Us
The St Louis Cardinals sold off a few pieces ahead of the MLB trade deadline, including closer Ryan Helsley. But they are still 5.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot with an outside shot of making the postseason. The Cardinals made an injury move on Friday involving Nolan Arenado that could set them back even further.
“The St. Louis Cardinals will place third baseman Nolan Arenado on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder injury before Friday’s game against the San Diego Padres, team sources told The Athletic,” Katie Woo wrote. “Arenado’s shoulder issues date to early July. He missed a handful of games trying to avoid the IL and hoped resting over the All-Star break would alleviate the discomfort.”
Arenado has struggled offensively since the All-Star Break, leading to the Cardinals selling at the deadline. He has a .159 batting average and .417 OPS in 12 games since the break. The Redbirds are just 3-9 in those games, knocking them further back in the playoff race.
The Cardinals were actively shopping Arenado in the offseason, trying to work around his no-trade clause. They reportedly agreed to a deal with the Houston Astros, which he declined. He is under contract through 2027, with the no-trade clause expiring before the final season.
The Cardinals do not have a timetable for Arenado's return, but he is out for at least the next ten days. Those games come against the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs. A continued losing streak could knock the Cardinals completely out of the race, and not having Arenado won't help matters.
Woo later reported that Nolan Gorman has been activated off the injured list as the corresponding move. They also called up Ryan Fernandez, Roddery Muñoz, and Andre Granillo to replace the traded players.
The Cardinals and Padres start a three-game series on Friday night.
