The St. Louis Cardinals just got a gut punch in the middle of a postseason push. Red-hot catcher and DH Iván Herrera is heading to the injured list for the second time this season, this time with a strained hamstring. And this one’s going to sting.
Herrera, the team’s most consistent hitter in 2025, has been leading the Cardinals in batting average (.320), on-base percentage (.392), slugging (.533), and OPS among players with 50+ at-bats. In short? The 25-year-old was anchoring the heart of the offense. Now he’s out 2 to 6 weeks with an injured hamstring.
“It’s unfortunate because he’s been doing a really nice job of swinging a hot bat,” manager Oliver Marmol said before Friday’s game. “We’re going to miss that.”
This marks Herrera’s second stint on the injured list of the season after missing a month earlier with a bruised knee. But if his mindset is any indication, he’s not planning to stay down long.
“This is just a rock on my path,” Herrera told MLB.com’s John Denton, “and I feel like I’m going to come back stronger like I did before.”
Next Man Up: Gorman, Burleson, and Saggese
So what’s next?
With Pedro Pagés already handling most of the catching duties, the big question is: who replaces Herrera’s bat at designated hitter? The answer comes in a three-headed form: Nolan Gorman, Alec Burleson, and Thomas Saggese.
Let’s start with the call-up. The Cardinals’ No. 5 prospect, Thomas Saggese, was brought up from Memphis on Friday. He made the four-hour sprint up I-55 — and got the start that same night against the Reds. In limited MLB action so far, the 23-year-old infielder has been impressive: .333/.354/.489 slash line in 45 at-bats. He can play second, short, or third, and with his bat, he’s quickly earning the “keep an eye on this guy” label.
Meanwhile, Burleson is already a staple in the Cardinals lineup, thanks to his versatility. He’s hitting .312 with 7 home runs and has been one of the most consistent bats all year. Whether he’s playing corner outfield or spelling Willson Contreras at first base, Burleson will be leaned on heavily to help replace the production Herrera leaves behind.
And don’t sleep on Nolan Gorman. His season-long stats may be underwhelming (.216/.316/.381), but the last month tells a different story. Gorman has caught fire lately, slashing .273/.365/.527 with 3 home runs and 7 extra-base hits over the past few weeks. With Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado holding down the hot corner and second base, Gorman’s path to playing time is through DH — and this is his window.
Timing of the Iván Herrera Injury is Real Bad
The timing? Couldn’t be worse to lose Iván Herrera. The Cardinals are deep in a brutal stretch — 29 games in 30 days. They just wrapped up their sixth doubleheader of the season when the news hit.
“It’s a survival day,” Marmol said during the pregame. And yet the team pulled off a 6-1 win over the Reds anyway, with regulars like Arenado and Contreras resting. That’s the kind of resilience they’ll need a lot more of.
The Cardinals came into June riding high after the best record in MLB during May. But since then? Things have cooled — they’re 8-10 in June, and the Milwaukee Brewers have drawn even with them in the standings. Meanwhile, the Cubs are sitting atop the division. Seven of the next 15 games are head-to-head with their rivals from Chicago.
So here it is: the Cardinals are in a crowded Wild Card race, facing a grueling schedule, and now missing one of their best offensive players. But with Gorman heating up, Burleson playing at an All-Star level, and Saggese rising fast, there’s still plenty of fight in this team.
Like Marmol said: “It’s not always going to be perfect… but this gives other guys a chance to step up, and that’ll be fun to watch.” The silver lining of an injured player. The question is, can any of these guys replace Iván Herrera’s production.
