The injury hits keep coming in the NL Central. On the heels of reports that Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips will undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament on his thumb, it appears that St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina will be shelved 8-12 weeks with a similar injury.
Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak confirmed on Thursday that Molina will miss extended time (via MLB.com).
It’s unfortunate,” Mozeliak said. “Obviously, when you lose a player of his skill set and leadership, it’s tough. But the game doesn’t stop and we’ll keep going.
The best defensive catcher in baseball, Molina has picked it up at the plate in recent years. The seven-time NL All-Star is hitting .287 with seven homers and 30 RBI’s on the season. He’s coming off a 2013 season that saw him rack up a .319 batting average and finish third in the NL MVP vote.
27-year-old Tony Cruz will take over as the Cardinals primary catcher in Molina’s stead. He is hitting .255 with eight RBI’s in 51 at-bats this season. Cruz is a career .238 hitter. To say that this is a downgrade would be a dramatic understatement. St. Louis entered Thursday two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. This could be a huge blow to its hopes of nabbing a division title.
Photo: Denver Post