St. Louis Cardinals News

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Joshua Báez • LF • Cardinals

Joshua Baez Lands on Injured List With Oblique Strain

The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Friday that they placed rookie outfielder Joshua Baez (oblique) on the 10-day injured list with a left-oblique strain and recalled infielder Cesar Prieto from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. Baez will most likely miss the rest of the 2026 season for the Cardinals after injuring his oblique during Wednesday's contest against the San Francisco Giants. The 23-year-old, who is ranked as the team's No. 3 prospect at MLB Pipeline, hit three home runs against the division-rival Chicago Cubs in his major-league debut on Aug. 15 and ended up hitting .230 (23-for-100) with seven home runs, seven doubles, 18 RBI, two stolen bases, 18 runs scored, four walks, and 33 strikeouts in his first 29 games MLB games across 108 plate appearances. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder will have breakout potential in 2027 for his pure power upside, but fantasy managers might also have to be pretty patient with his high strikeout rate.

Sep 18

Jesus Baez • SS • Cardinals

Jesus Baez Continues Success in Double-A Postseason

St. Louis Cardinals infield prospect Jesus Baez helped carry Double-A Springfield to a win in their first game of the Texas League playoffs on Tuesday, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, three RBI, and two runs scored in the contest. It was a continuation of his phenomenal 2026 season, one in which began at High-A for 54 games and then finished at Double-A for 59 games. The Cards' 15th-ranked prospect posted a .789 OPS at High-A, but somehow improved to a 1.034 OPS while at Springfield against stiffer competition. The right-handed hitter maintained a 16.0 percent strikeout rate between both stops, and blasted 39 home runs in all, second-most in the minor leagues. The 21-year-old could open next season at Triple-A and find himself ranked well within the organization's top 10 by then. The 2026 breakout put him on the dynasty map, and once he's knocking on the door to the majors next year, his prodigious power will put him on the redraft radar.

Sep 17

Thomas Saggese • LF • Cardinals

Thomas Saggese Has Emerged as a Useful Depth Piece to Target

Across 149 plate appearances in 2026, St. Louis Cardinals utility man Thomas Saggese is hitting .267/.315/.407 with four home runs, 13 RBI, 25 runs scored, and four stolen bases. The 24-year-old's strikeout rate remains slightly elevated at 24.8%, but it's still an improvement on the 28.1% mark he posted in 2025. Saggese also brings solid underlying contact metrics, as he's logged a 9.9% barrel rate and 43.6% hard-hit rate. With Cardinals middle infielders Masyn Winn and JJ Wetherholt both missing time at the start of September, Saggese has been playing an everyday role in St. Louis at either second base or shortstop in recent weeks. Wetherholt returned to the Cardinals on Wednesday, which could impact Saggese's playing time outlook. Still, Saggese's ability to play both the outfield and third base should allow him to stay in his team's lineup on a near-everyday basis. With his balanced profile and multi-positional eligibility, Saggese profiles as a useful deep-league waiver wire addition.

Sep 17

Joshua Báez • LF • Cardinals

Joshua Baez "Day-to-Day" After Leaving with Side Tightness

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Joshua Baez (side) is considered day-to-day after exiting early from his team's loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday with side tightness, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Baez was hitless in four at-bats before leaving the game. Across 108 plate appearances since making his MLB debut in mid-August, the 23-year-old is hitting .230/.278/.510 with seven home runs, 18 RBI, 18 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Baez hit 34 home runs across 410 plate appearances at Triple-A this season and has posted impressive barrel (12.5%) and hard-hit (48.4%) rates in the big leagues. However, he's also struck out in 30.6% of his plate appearances while logging just a 3.7% walk rate. If Baez ends up missing time, Cardinals outfielder Bryan Torres could be in line for an increase in at-bats.

Sep 16

Rainiel Rodriguez • C • Cardinals

Rainiel Rodriguez Keeps Rolling at Double-A

St. Louis Cardinals catching prospect Rainiel Rodriguez picked up where he left off the regular season, collecting a pair of base hits in Double-A Springfield's 9-7 playoff win on Tuesday. The Cards' top-ranked prospect finished off the regular season on a tear, going 17-for-41 (.415) with four home runs and more walks (eight) than strikeouts (six) over his final 11 games. The Dominican backstop began the year at High-A, but seemingly got even better upon his promotion to Double-A, producing a .328/.408/.591 slash line with 23 home runs in 87 games for Springfield; he did all that as one of the few 19-year-olds at that level. The right-handed hitter should get a shot at Triple-A next season, and at that point, the talented youngster will be knocking on the door to the majors. His arrow is pointing way up in dynasty formats and should be stashed away as soon as possible if not already rostered.

Sep 16

JJ Wetherholt • 2B • Cardinals

JJ Wetherholt Activated And Starting on Wednesday

The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Wednesday that they activated rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) from the 10-day injured list. Wetherholt is right back in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the visiting San Francisco Giants and right-hander Anthony Molina, starting at second base and batting leadoff in his return. He will return for the first time since late August while dealing with tendinitis in his right wrist. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder can still help fantasy managers battling for a championship in the final week and a half of the regular season. The former seventh overall selection from West Virginia in 2024 will return to a .242/.343/.370 slash line with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 88 runs scored across his 505 at-bats. Wetherholt struggled in August before he was shut down, going 19-for-95 (.200) with a homer, four doubles, seven RBI, 19 runs scored, two steals, 15 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 25 games played. Hopefully, he will have better results on offense to close out the year with his wrist issues behind him.

Sep 16

JJ Wetherholt • 2B • Cardinals

JJ Wetherholt to Go Through Full Workout on Tuesday

St. Louis Cardinals rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) is scheduled to go through a full pre-game workout on Tuesday after he hits off a pitching machine on Monday, according to Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wetherholt is working his way back from tendinitis in his right wrist that had been bothering him for some time. The 24-year-old is making good progress, but if he returns for the Cardinals this year, it might only be for the final homestand of the 2026 campaign, so fantasy managers should not bank on any production from him during the postseason. All in all, it was a successful first year in the big leagues for Wetherholt, as he has hit .242/.343/.370 with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 88 runs scored across 130 games and 586 plate appearances. Wetherholt has clear 20-20 potential going into his sophomore season in 2027 as the Cardinals' regular option at second base.

Sep 14

Masyn Winn • SS • Cardinals

Masyn Winn Expects to Return on Friday

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (thumb), who was scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup with more soreness in his left thumb after returning from the injured list on Tuesday, expects to be back in the lineup for Friday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox at home, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Fantasy managers should not be expecting much from the 24-year-old shortstop the rest of the way after he returned from a left-thumb fracture this week. The former second-rounder in 2020 has had a disappointing season overall on offense, slashing just .236/.312/.323 with a .635 OPS, only five home runs, 51 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 49 runs scored across his 436 at-bats. Manager Oliver Marmol said that Winn's availability for the final few weeks of the regular season in 2026 will be a "daily basis" decision, so he might not even be playing regularly. Winn has been even worse in the second half, hitting .218 (26-for-119) with a homer, seven doubles, 13 RBI, 10 runs scored, three steals, 15 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 36 games played.

Sep 10

Masyn Winn • SS • Cardinals

Masyn Winn Scratched From Wednesday's Lineup With Thumb Soreness

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (thumb), who was activated from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, was scratched from Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants with more soreness in his left thumb, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Thomas Saggese made the start at the 6 for St. Louis and was hitting seventh against Giants right-hander Blade Tidwell. It appears that Winn is not fully recovered from the fractured left thumb that caused him to miss over two weeks recently. If the Cardinals place him back on the IL, Winn will almost certainly miss the rest of the 2026 season. The 24-year-old has been a disappointment for fantasy managers in 2026 in his fourth year in the big leagues, as he is currently hitting .236/.312/.323 with a .635 OPS, only five home runs, 51 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 49 runs scored across 123 games and 494 plate appearances. The former second-rounder has been really poor in the second half, hitting just .218 (26-for-119) with a homer, 15 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 36 games and 137 plate appearances.

Sep 9

JJ Wetherholt • 2B • Cardinals

JJ Wetherholt Could Return This Weekend

St. Louis Cardinals rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) swung the bat on Monday before the team's game against the San Francisco Giants and is hoping to be activated from the 10-day injured list during the team's upcoming homestand that runs from Friday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 20, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It appears that the anti-inflammatory injection that Wetherholt received recently helped with his right-wrist tendinitis. With St. Louis' homestand kicking off this weekend, it does not look like the Cardinals will require Wetherholt to go on a short minor-league rehab assignment. The 23-year-old former seventh overall pick from West Virginia University has had a strong rookie campaign in 2026 and has been the Cardinals' primary second baseman all year. He will return to a .242/.343/.370 slash line with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 88 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in his 505 at-bats. It has been a struggle for Wetherholt in the second half, possibly because of the wrist issue he was playing through, as he has hit only .201 (31-for-154) with four homers, four doubles, 12 RBI, 30 runs, five stolen bases, 23 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 40 games since the All-Star break.

Sep 8

Joshua Báez • LF • Cardinals

Joshua Baez a Slugger to Target on the Waiver Wire

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Joshua Baez continues to show off his power tool at the major league level. In 22 games since being called up for his MLB debut, Baez is slashing .229/.286/.586 with seven home runs, 15 RBI, a 3.9% walk rate, a 35.1% strikeout rate, and 133 wRC+. The discipline and ball-in-play metrics are worrisome, but his absurd power output has made up for it, especially in fantasy baseball leagues. The only thing to consider is that Baez's 9.1% home run rate is not sustainable long-term, so he'll likely cool off eventually. He had a 7.4% home run rate in Triple-A, and even that proportion was absolutely insane. With that being said, Baez hasn't shown any signs of slowing down lately, so he continues to be a worthwhile waiver wire target. He is available in 73% of leagues and ranks as the #65 outfielder in RotoBaller's rest-of-season rankings.

Sep 6

Masyn Winn • SS • Cardinals

Cardinals Plan to Activate Masyn Winn on Saturday

The St. Louis Cardinals plan on activating shortstop Masyn Winn (thumb) ahead of their game on Saturday at Colorado. The 24-year-old has missed almost two weeks of action because of a small fracture in his thumb, but was able to take live batting practice on Friday alongside his teammates. The plan is for him to be back in the lineup on Saturday, but the team will want to see how his thumb has recovered following the progress that he made a day earlier. Winn has had a disappointing season, as he has slashed a pedestrian .238/.314/.326 slash line. Both he and the Cardinals will be looking to salvage whatever time they have left in this season and possibly use it as a building block for next season.

Sep 5

Masyn Winn • SS • Cardinals

Masyn Winn Could Return as Early as Friday

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (thumb) could return from the 10-day injured list as early as Friday's series opener against the Colorado Rockies, and the Cardinals expect him to return during the three-game series at Coors Field this weekend, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis wanted Winn to go through another round of workouts and batting in the cage before they cleared him to return to the major-league lineup following a left-thumb fracture. The 24-year-old will be returning to a weak .238/.314/.326 slash line with a .641 OPS, only five home runs, 51 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 49 runs scored across his 432 at-bats in 2026, so fantasy managers should not expect him to be a difference-maker down the stretch in September. In 20 games in August before his thumb injury, Winn had gone just 14-for-65 (.215) with a .642 OPS, one homer, six doubles, seven RBI, eight runs scored, and two stolen bases across 73 plate appearances. When activated, Winn should return to his regular duties as St. Louis' starting shortstop.

Sep 4

JJ Wetherholt • 2B • Cardinals

JJ Wetherholt Receives Cortisone Injection in his Wrist

St. Louis Cardinals rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) received a cortisone injection on Tuesday for his right-wrist tendinitis, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. After some rest, Wetherholt will attempt to resume baseball activities as he tries to make it back for the conclusion of what has been a very strong first year in the big leagues in 2026. Right now, it is unclear if he has a realistic chance of being ready to return to the major-league roster when he is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Sept. 9. In his first full season with the Cardinals, the former seventh overall pick from West Virginia in 2024 has hit .242/.343/.370 with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 88 runs scored across 130 games and 586 plate appearances. The left-handed-hitting infielder has struggled in the second half, though, perhaps while battling his wrist injury, and has slashed just .201/.313/.305 with a .618 OPS, four home runs, 12 RBI, four doubles, 30 runs scored, five steals, 23 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 40 games played. Despite being on the IL and struggling in the second half, Wetherholt is rostered in 89% of Yahoo leagues.

Sep 2

JJ Wetherholt • 2B • Cardinals

JJ Wetherholt to Meet With a Specialist This Week

St. Louis Cardinals rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist), who was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with right-wrist discomfort, will meet with a specialist to have his wrist examined in Arizona early this week, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The 23-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder has been bothered by wrist issues for the last month, which helps explain why he hit .200 (19-for-95) with a .595 OPS, one homer, four doubles, seven RBI, 19 runs scored, two stolen bases, 15 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 25 games in August. Since the All-Star break, Wetherholt has hit just .201 (31-for-154) with a .618 OPS, four home runs, four doubles, 12 RBI, 30 runs scored, five steals, 23 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 40 games. The former first-rounder from West Virginia University hit .259/.356/.399 with a .755 OPS, 13 homers, 36 RBI, 58 runs, and nine stolen bases in 90 games in the first half of his first MLB season. Fantasy managers now have to be concerned that Wetherholt might not make it back for the final month of the regular season in September.

Aug 31

Leo Bernal • C • Cardinals

Cardinals to Promote No. 7 Prospect Leo Bernal to Majors

The St. Louis Cardinals are promoting catching prospect Leo Bernal to the majors, according to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. The 22-year-old originally signed with the Cardinals as an international free agent out of Panama in 2021. Up until this point, he had spent the entire season in Triple-A, slashing .279/.364/.469 with 16 home runs, 77 RBI, nine steals, an 11.8% walk rate, a 20.0% strikeout rate, and 116 wRC+ across 100 games. Bernal is a switch-hitter and has made impressive strides from a platoon standpoint this year. Specifically, he improved upon his ability to hit right-handed pitching, bringing his OPS against righties up from .668 to .846 this year. He's also been solid on defense, throwing out 27.4% of base stealers. Bernal should have a chance to carve out significant playing time right away, as both of the Cardinals' active catchers have a sub-.600 OPS.

Aug 30

JJ Wetherholt • 2B • Cardinals

Cardinals Place JJ Wetherholt on Injured List With Wrist Tendinitis

The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Sunday that they placed rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) on the 10-day injured list with right-wrist tendinitis and recalled infielder Cesar Prieto from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. It is the first time that Wetherholt will head to the IL while battling wrist issues of late. In his first year in the big leagues in 2026 with the Cards, Wetherholt has slashed .242/.343/.370 with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 88 runs scored across 130 games and 586 plate appearances. His wrist might have been bothering him for a while, though, as he has hit just .200 (19-for-95) with a .595 OPS, one homer, four doubles, seven RBI, 19 runs scored, two stolen bases, 15 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 25 games in August. Wetherholt has also hit just over the Mendoza Line (.201) with just four homers, four doubles, 12 RBI, five steals, 30 runs scored, 23 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 40 games in the second half. Perhaps a little break is what is needed so that he can finish his first MLB season strong in September. It is unclear if Wetherholt will be ready to return when his 10 days on the IL are up. He is currently rostered in over 90% of Yahoo leagues.

Aug 30

Joshua Báez • LF • Cardinals

Joshua Baez's Power Upside Makes him a Waiver-Wire Target

St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez turned heads with a record-setting major-league debut on Aug. 15 against the division-rival Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, going 3-for-4 at the plate with three home runs and five RBI. But since that day, he has gone 4-for-41 (.098) with a homer, a double, four RBI, three runs scored, two stolen bases, three walks, and 20 strikeouts in 12 games for the Red Birds. St. Louis' No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, should still be on the waiver-wire radar in fantasy baseball leagues, though, for his power/speed upside to close out the 2026 season. The 23-year-old former second-rounder hit .256/.328/.573 with a .901 OPS, 34 home runs, 90 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 79 runs scored in his 103 games at Triple-A Memphis this year before his call-up. Baez can struggle to make contact at times, but his power/speed upside should not be ignored for fantasy managers looking for power production in the outfield to close things out. It has been far from perfect early on, but Baez is still the Cardinals' right fielder of the future.

Aug 28

Rainiel Rodriguez • C • Cardinals

Rainiel Rodriguez Surging at Double-A Springfield

St. Louis Cardinals catcher prospect Rainiel Rodriguez took some time settling in at Double-A Springfield after his promotion in early May, hitting just .182 with two extra-base hits over his first 21 games there. However, since then, the Cardinals' top-ranked prospect has caught fire, hitting .368 with 20 doubles and 18 home runs in just 53 games, good for a 1.134 OPS during that time. That type of production is impressive on its own merit, but the right-handed hitter is doing all of this as one of the youngest players in Double-A at age 19. The youngster is in position to begin 2027 at Triple-A and has a shot to debut next year despite his age, though it is crowded at catcher in St. Louis with Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, and fellow catching prospect Leo Bernal, so it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. Rodriguez (and Bernal, for that matter) has played some first base this year, and with his power potential, designated hitter is always an option as well, which gives him multiple paths to the majors. The 5-foot-10 Dominican should be on redraft managers' radar in 2027, and his dynasty arrow is pointing way up.

Aug 27

Masyn Winn • SS • Cardinals

Cardinals Placing Masyn Winn on Injured List With Thumb Fracture

The St. Louis Cardinals are placing shortstop Masyn Winn (thumb) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a thumb injury that he suffered last Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In a corresponding move, the team is calling up infielder Nolan Gorman from Triple-A Memphis before the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles, according to a source. With Winn out, JJ Wetherholt will man the 6 in St. Louis. We should have a better idea of how much time the 24-year-old Winn might miss after the results of his MRI exam and CT scan come back, but he will be out until at least the start of September when rosters expand. Winn has been a disappointment in 2026 in his third full year in the majors, slashing a weak .238/.314/.326 with a .641 OPS, only five home runs, 51 RBI, 49 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases across 122 games and 490 plate appearances. As a result, he is rostered in just 32% of Yahoo leagues now. UPDATE: Winn is out with a fractured left thumb, but the Cardinals don't expect him to miss extended time, according to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat.

Aug 25

St. Louis Cardinals News

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