The St. Louis Cardinals may be on the outside looking in when it comes to the 2025 postseason, but that doesn’t mean the storylines are drying up. One of the biggest questions hanging over Busch Stadium right now? Will Nolan Arenado return before the season ends — and could it be his last time in a Cardinals uniform? Here’s the injury update.
MLB insider John Denton posted the latest update on X, and it’s clear that manager Oli Marmol isn’t ruling out a September Arenado sighting. The 10-time Gold Glove third baseman, still rehabbing a nagging right shoulder injury down in Jupiter, Fla., will soon head back to St. Louis for a fresh round of tests with team doctors. The results will determine if he can begin a rehab assignment and, ultimately, rejoin the big-league lineup.
That’s music to the ears of Cards fans who want to see Arenado back on the diamond. Sure, the Redbirds are 7.5 games back and postseason hopes are fading fast, but getting the future Hall of Famer some final at-bats could mean everything — both for his own confidence and for a fanbase that knows the offseason could bring tough decisions.
Arenado has battled through one of the roughest stretches of his career. His .235 batting average, .660 OPS, and only 10 home runs mark lows across his St. Louis tenure. He hasn’t gone this long without slugging above .700 since his Rockies days. His last game in a Cards jersey came July 30, and while whispers of a mid-August return never materialized, Marmol’s latest comments show the door isn’t closed yet.
If the tests go well, Arenado could suit up for the stretch run — even if the games don’t impact playoff positioning. If not, there’s a chance we’ve already seen his final appearance as a Cardinal, with trade rumors swirling ahead of the winter.
So buckle up, St. Louis: Arenado’s shoulder exam isn’t just about getting him back in the lineup. It might determine whether fans get one more chance to watch one of the game’s greatest gloves — and bats — wearing Cardinal red before the book closes on this chapter.
