St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras suffered a broken left forearm after being struck by a swing during Tuesday night’s game against the New York Mets. The injury occurred in the second inning while J.D. Martinez was at bat. Contreras, a three-time All-Star, was visibly in pain as he tumbled over and then walked away before being assessed by the St. Louis training staff.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol provided a postgame update suggesting a potentially grim outlook for Contreras. Marmol stated, as reported by John Denton of MLB.com, that there’s a possibility Contreras may require surgery for his fractured forearm.
Prior to the injury, Contreras had doubled and scored a run in St. Louis’ three-run first inning. He currently holds a .280 batting average with six home runs and 12 RBIs for the season.
Cardinals’ facing challenges at catcher
Regrettably, Herrera doesn’t possess the same level of skill as Contreras. Despite being just 23 years old, he still has room to grow but lacks power at the plate. Over his three-season career, the 5-foot-11, 220-pound catcher has posted modest statistics with a .221/.295/.320 slash line, hitting three home runs and driving in 16 runs. In contrast, Contreras boasts a more impressive .258/.352/.463 slash line with 143 home runs and 144 RBIs.
Moreover, the impact of Contreras’ injury extends beyond offense. Catcher is a pivotal defensive position requiring familiarity with the pitching staff and the ability to call effective games. Pitchers rely on consistency, so adjusting to a new catcher will take time.
Contreras, a three-time All-Star and a former World Series champion with the Cubs in 2016, has been a standout performer for the Cardinals this season, ranking second on the team (among starters) in batting average and leading in home runs. Alongside Nolan Arenado, he’s one of the few Cardinals hitting over .270.
While comparing the two players isn’t entirely fair due to Contreras’ eight-year age gap, the reality is the Cardinals face a significant downgrade at catcher with his absence, not due to any fault of Herrera’s.
Currently holding a 15-21 record, the Cardinals sit at the bottom of the National League Central division. With Contreras potentially out for an extended period, their challenges are likely to persist.
Next up for St. Louis is another matchup against the Mets on Wednesday.
