The St. Louis Cardinals have fallen out of postseason contention, currently sitting at 66-69 as they head into a three-game weekend series with the Cincinnati Reds. With a 17-game deficit in the National League Central and 6 1/2 games behind the New York Mets for the third and final Wild Card spot, the focus for the Cardinals has shifted from contending this season to rebuilding and setting themselves up for the future.
The team has also been without some key players for an extended period. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who was placed on the injured list on August 1 due to a shoulder strain, has been rehabbing at the Cardinals’ spring training facility in Jupiter, Florida, in hopes of returning to full health.
John Denton of MLB.com provided an important update on the eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove third baseman, who appears to be making some key progress.
Cardinals Nolan Arenado Making Progress In Rehab
“Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who has been working in Jupiter, will return to St. Louis in the coming days to have his right shoulder examined by team doctors, manager Oli Marmol said. Then, a determination will be made about a rehab assignment and a possible MLB return,” Denton posted on X.
Prior to going on the injured list, Arenado was hitting .235/.294/.366 with 10 home runs, 43 RBI and a miserable .660 OPS. He also has an 85 OPS+.
The Cardinals acquired Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies in 2021 with hopes of building a competitive team around him and Paul Goldschmidt, but they failed to surround them with the right supporting pieces. As a result, Arenado’s performance has declined, and he’s far removed from the elite player he once was.
St. Louis attempted to move him in a trade during the offseason, but after he rejected a deal to the Houston Astros and Alex Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox, the chances of a trade evaporated. Now, the Cardinals are stuck with his contract for the next two years.
It’ll be interesting to see if Arenado can make a return this season. His shoulder injury had clearly been taking a toll on him, affecting his play before he was placed on the injured list after missing several games in July. His recovery will be key in determining whether he can return to form, but given his age and injury history, it’s uncertain if he’ll regain his previous level of production.
Time is running out for him to return this year though, and it might be best for the Cardinals to just shut him down for the remainder of the season.
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