Cardinals Fall to Pirates 8-4 as Iván Herrera Sidelined, Nolan Arenado Scratched, and Thomas Saggese Shines
The St. Louis Cardinals took the field against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night and walked away with an 8-4 loss, but don’t let the score fool you. This one came with a flurry of headline-worthy twists before the first pitch. Scroll down for the latest news on Iván Herrera, Nolan Arenado and rookie Thomas Saggese.
The biggest shocker? Catcher Iván Herrera is officially out for at least four weeks. This is after etching his name in Cardinals history earlier this season. After undergoing additional testing back in St. Louis, Herrera was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee, according to MLB.com’s John Denton.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol indeed confirmed the timeline and quickly shut down any speculation about a backup plan involving Willson Contreras. The 2025 version of Contreras is locked into first base and designated hitter duties—not behind the plate.
That’s a tough blow, especially considering how hot Herrera was at the start of the season. But that wasn’t the only curveball the Cardinals were dealt on Monday.
Just hours before game time, Nolan Arenado was left out of the lineup due to, “illness and general soreness,” again per Denton. Although, that could be team-speak for trade talks heating up for Arenado who has been linked to the Cubs and Yankees. Heaven forbid the front office actually do something resembling a retool this season, but I digress.
Rookie Time
That left a noticeable gap in the batting order, although it opened the door for rookie infielder Thomas Saggese, and boy, did he take advantage.
The 22-year-old prospect, who made his debut earlier this season, stepped in at third base and continued his red-hot start. Saggese slapped two base hits Monday night, adding to his growing highlight reel after launching a home run against the Red Sox just a day prior. He’s now 4-for-8 in his first three MLB games and has hit safely in every single one.
So, while the Cardinals couldn’t pull off the win in Pittsburgh, fans still had something to cheer about. Between Saggese’s prowess with the bat, the ongoing roster shuffle (trade rumors?), and the hole left at catcher, there’s no shortage of conversation pieces with this club. They may be losing, but at least things are interesting and they are hitting the cover off the ball.
Thus, keep your eyes peeled—this week’s just heating up.
