The St. Louis Cardinals have been hit hard by injuries over the last few weeks. On Sunday, they had to place National League Rookie of the Year candidate JJ Wetherholt on the injured list with right wrist tendinitis.
The Cardinals don’t believe that his season is over, but it was certainly a big blow for a team looking to finish the season strong and potentially play the role of spoiler down the stretch. St. Louis managed to score 13 runs in Tuesday night’s win over the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers without Wetherholt, but the lineup is certainly better with him in it.
Fortunately for St. Louis, Wetherholt is on the current road trip with the team. Derrick Goold’s latest update in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch brings more good news for the team.
“Wetherholt said the medical officials discussed two treatment options, and between a ‘conservative’ approach of rest and getting an anti-inflammatory shot, they opted for the cortisone injection. As a result, he’ll have 72 hours of inactivity before seeing how the hand and wrist respond,” Goold reported.
“He plans to remain with the team on the road trip, test the wrist with swings when cleared to do so, and see if he can return from the 10-day IL when eligible. That happens in time for the final day of the nine-game, three-city swing.”
St. Louis Cardinals Get Positive Update on JJ Wetherholt
Wetherholt likely won’t win the Rookie of the Year award at this point, especially now with his injury, but he has put together a solid rookie campaign. He has slashed .242/.343/.370 with a .713 OPS and 105 OPS+, but has also hit 17 home runs with 48 RBI, 14 stolen bases and a 4.6 WAR.
The Cardinals selected the West Virginia product with the seventh pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, and so far, he has been exactly what they needed. But they’ll need to get him back off the injured list very soon. The injury isn’t too severe, and the cortisone shot should help numb the pain and get him back to full strength soon. After the road trip, the Cardinals begin their final homestand of the season with a matchup against the young, upstart Chicago White Sox.
St. Louis will have a good chance to potentially spoil the White Sox playoff hopes when they come to Busch Stadium, and that will certainly be easier with Wetherholt in the lineup and at full strength.
JJ Wetherholt’s Rookie of the Year Case
While Wetherholt is likely not the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award and saw his chances take a hit with the injury, he still has put together a strong season. He has been a solid defender and is in the running for a Gold Glove at second base, and his WAR is better than Sal Stewart’s.
Stewart is the favorite at this point and will likely win it, but a case can at least be made for Wetherholt. It should be interesting to see if he can improve his numbers down the stretch when he returns.
Latest Update on JJ Wetherholt is Good News for Cardinals