The St. Louis Cardinals wrapped up their Sunday series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies with a 6-8 record. This puts the Cards in fourth place in the NL Central and just 2.5 games behind the division leading Cubs. But the bigger story this weekend wasn’t the box score. It was the injury to Masyn Winn that rocked the clubhouse on Friday, giving Nolan Gorman at bats over the weekend.
Masyn Winn, the rising star shortstop and key piece of the Cardinals’ infield, exited Friday’s game with back spasms. By Saturday, the team made the call to place him on the injured list. The move opened the door for Nolan Gorman’s return from a hamstring injury.
Masyn Winn not Expected to Miss Much
Here’s the good news: according to Katie Woo of The Athletic, the Cardinals don’t expect Winn’s absence to be lengthy. While back injuries can be unpredictable, manager Oliver Marmol noted the team didn’t want to risk playing short-handed for too long. Particularly if Winn was likely to miss more than a few games.
“Winn’s back spasms aren’t believed to be serious,” Woo reported Saturday. “While back injuries are finicky, the Cardinals do not believe Winn will miss much time based on his prior stints.”
It’s worth noting that Winn battled similar back issues throughout the 2024 season. Last season, the occassional rest day was needed to manage the discomfort. This season, the back pain escalated enough to require downtime. Thus, the team wisely opted for a few games off as Winn joins Iván Herrera on the IL
In the meantime, shortstop duties will be shared between Thomas Saggese and Brendan Donovan, two players who’ve already stepped up big in key moments this season. With Gorman back in the mix and the pitching finally coming around, the Cardinals are still in the thick of it.
Winn’s IL stint may be a speed bump, but with the team acting quickly and his return likely on the horizon, St. Louis has plenty to stay optimistic about as they chase down the Cubs in the NL Central. Just maybe Ollie Marmol will still be the manager at the All-Star Break.
