The St. Louis Cardinals are hanging around in a crowded National League Central division, as they are one of three teams that finds themselves 6.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the standings. The Cardinals have been fighting to stay alive without their star catcher Willson Contreras, but it sounds like a return may not be that far away for him.

Contreras suffered a fractured arm back in early May when J.D. Martinez hit his arm while swinging at a pitch during St. Louis' game against the New York Mets. It was a pretty crushing update for the Cards to have to deal with, but the good news is that Contreras has taken a huge step towards returning to the field, as he has been cleared to resume full baseball activities.

“A month after suffering a fractured left arm, Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras was cleared on Friday to resume full baseball activities. Contreras underwent a CT scan before the Cardinals' matchup with the Rockies and caught a bullpen at Busch Stadium. He will begin a hitting progression on Saturday.” – Daniel Guerrero, St. Louis Post Dispatch

Cardinals hoping Willson Contreras can return as soon as possible

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) reacts after hitting a double against the New York Mets during the first inning at Busch Stadium.
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Prior to suffering this injury, Contreras had gotten off to a hot start for the Cardinals (.280 BA, 6 HR, 12 RBI, .950 OPS), which was a big reason why it was such a tough pill to swallow. Thankfully, it sounds like he is closing in on a return to action, even though he still has a couple of big hurdles to clear before he can make it back on the field.

Given the severity of this injury, St. Louis is going to make sure that Contreras is fully healed before he finds his way back behind the plate. There's a sense of urgency given the Cardinals position in the standings, but it's also June, and it's going to be more important to have Contreras on the field in August and September for a potential playoff push, rather than rushing him back now.

In Contreras' absence, Ivan Herrera has largely held down the fort behind the plate, and he's certainly held his own to this point (.260 BA, 3 HR, 16 RBI, .681 OPS). However, Contreras' upside is far greater than that of Herrera right now, which is why the Cardinals and their fans are anxiously awaiting the return of the three-time All-Star catcher.

While there is still a bit of work to be done for Contreras, this is undoubtedly a great update for him, and it's not out of the question for him to make a return late in June. Until then, St. Louis will try to stay afloat for as long as they can, and this upcoming stretch could end up being crucial in determining whether or not they are a true playoff contender later on in the season.