Willson Contreras took a 99 mph fastball straight to the hand on Tuesday night — and for a moment, Cardinals fans held their collective breath. You can exhale with this injury update.
Willson Contreras takes one off the Hand
It happened in the top of the fourth inning in Pittsburgh, with Pirates phenom Paul Skenes on the mound and the count at 2-2. Contreras, leading off the inning, got drilled on the left hand by pure gas. He walked it off — barely. After a lengthy check-in at first base with manager Oli Marmol and athletic trainer Adam Olsen, he stayed in the game.
But only briefly.
Moments later, Contreras was thrown out at the plate trying to score, ending the inning. After that? He was pulled, headed straight to the clubhouse for X-rays, and replaced in the lineup. Garrett Hampson moved into right field, and Alec Burleson took over at first base.
Injury Update: Day to Day
The good news: the X-rays came back negative. The official word is a hand contusion — just a bruise — and Contreras is listed as day to day. But given how short-handed the Cardinals already are, that diagnosis was met with a huge sigh of relief.
St. Louis is already without two key right-handed bats. Catcher Iván Herrera is still out, and Nolan Arenado is also day to day with a hand injury of his own. Losing Contreras, one of the team’s most emotional and offensive anchors, would’ve been a brutal blow.
And get this — with that HBP, Contreras is now tied for the MLB lead in times hit by pitch this season at 14. He was hit just five days ago — also on the hand — in the ninth inning of a game against the Cubs.
That led to a benches clearing dust up.
The timing of this latest knock might work out, though. The Cardinals have a day game on Wednesday in Pittsburgh, followed by an off day Thursday before heading to Wrigley for a weekend showdown with the Cubs. That gives Contreras a little breathing room to rest and recover.
For now, the Cardinals are hoping this is just a scare — and thus not a setback.
