The Cardinals’ Star Player Placed on IL After Trade Deadline
In a shocking turn of events, the St. Louis Cardinals have placed their star third baseman, Nolan Arenado, on the injured list due to a shoulder strain. This decision comes just after the trade deadline and follows weeks of struggles for Arenado at the plate.
The Cardinals acquired Arenado in a blockbuster trade with the Colorado Rockies during the offseason, hoping to add some much-needed power to their lineup. However, the five-time All-Star has not lived up to expectations so far this season.
Arenado’s struggles at the plate have been evident, with his batting average dropping to a career-low .253 and his home run production significantly lower than his usual numbers. This has been a major disappointment for the Cardinals, who were counting on Arenado to be a key contributor to their offense.
The decision to place Arenado on the IL was made after careful consideration by the team’s medical staff. The Cardinals are hopeful that this time off will allow Arenado to fully recover and come back stronger for the remainder of the season.
In the meantime, the Cardinals will have to find a way to fill the void left by their star player. This will be no easy task, as Arenado’s presence on the field and in the lineup will be sorely missed.
The Cardinals are currently in a tight race for a playoff spot and will need to find a way to stay competitive without Arenado in the lineup. Only time will tell if this decision to place him on the IL will pay off in the long run. losing closer to injury
The Cardinals Place Nolan Arenado on IL After Trade Deadline Passes
In a surprising move, the St. Louis Cardinals have placed third baseman Nolan Arenado on the 10-day injured list with a strained right shoulder. This comes just one day after the MLB trade deadline passed without a move involving Arenado, leaving many fans wondering what the future holds for the veteran player.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the decision to place Arenado on the IL was made after he had been battling shoulder discomfort since early July. Despite his efforts to manage the injury without a stint on the IL, his performance at the plate has been suffering. In the month of July, he posted a .175/.230/.211 slash line and over his last 12 games, his production dropped even further to .159/.213/.205.
This is only the fourth time in Arenado’s 13-year career that he has landed on the injured list, and the second time since joining the Cardinals. His most recent trip to the IL was in 2023 when he missed the final two weeks of the season with back soreness.
The timing of this move is significant as the Cardinals currently sit 5.5 games behind in the National League Wild Card race. Since the All-Star break, the team has gone 3-9, with Arenado contributing a .159 average and .417 OPS over those 12 games. This poor performance led to the team becoming sellers at the trade deadline, moving several bullpen arms.
As a corresponding move, the Cardinals have activated infielder Nolan Gorman from the 10-day IL. Gorman, who has been recovering from back spasms, homered in Double-A Springfield on Wednesday and is expected to take over third base duties in Arenado’s absence.
To strengthen their depleted bullpen, the Cardinals have also recalled Ryan Fernandez, Roddery Muñoz, and Andre Granillo from Triple-A Memphis. Fernandez, who struggled earlier in the season, has since bounced back in Memphis with a 3.12 ERA and a 12.72 K/9 ratio over 29 outings.
With the closer role now vacant, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has indicated that JoJo Romero is the leading candidate, while Riley O’Brien and Kyle Leahy are expected to see increased usage in late-inning roles.
The Cardinals will open a three-game series against the San Diego Padres on Friday night. It remains to be seen how long Arenado will be out of the lineup and how this will affect the team’s playoff chances.
