FRIDAY: Winn will probably be positioned on the IL Saturday and is out for the season, in accordance with supervisor Oli Marmol (as reported by Katie Woo of The Athletic). Thomas Saggese performed shortstop tonight because the Cardinals fell to the Brewers at American Household Subject; he’s began every of the final three video games there.
WEDNESDAY: Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn has a torn meniscus in his proper knee. He would require arthroscopic surgical procedure sooner or later however goes to aim to play by the ailment for the remainder of the 12 months. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Submit-Dispatch and Katie Woo of The Athletic relayed the small print of the state of affairs. Goold says that Winn has truly been enjoying with the tear for months.
On the floor, it looks like an odd resolution. However the best way it’s framed, Winn has been assured that he’s unlikely make the problem any worse by proceed to run on the market, so there’s no danger of exacerbating the problem. As soon as he goes beneath the knife, the restoration interval will probably be brief sufficient that his 2026 season gained’t be impacted. Even when he delays the process by the top of the season, he can nonetheless be wholesome by spring coaching.
Since there’s nothing a lot to be gained by having the surgical procedure now and no obvious hurt in delaying issues, he’ll attempt to assist the Playing cards as they hover on the fringes of the playoff race. They’re at the moment 72-74, which places them 4.5 video games again of the floundering Mets, who at the moment maintain the ultimate Nationwide League Wild Card spot.
“I really feel like I owe it to those guys to complete the 12 months sturdy,” Winn stated. “I positively don’t need to money it on this early. We technically nonetheless have a shot (on the playoffs). I need to go on the market and compete for that. However I need to do it for my pitchers, actually. I do know these guys need me on the market at shortstop. I need to be there. So I’m going to have time within the offseason to recuperate. I really feel like I can play this one out.”
Although he can tolerate the ache considerably, he should still want some days off. “A kind of days that it doesn’t really feel pretty much as good as others,” supervisor Oli Marmol stated of Winn not enjoying on Tuesday. “So, no purpose to push by it. We’ve agreed to if it’s not feeling ok to go then we’d give him the day. And he’s wonderful at speaking that.”
Winn is having a powerful season when it comes to his shortstop protection. He has been credited with 4 Defensive Runs Saved and an enormous tally of twenty-two Outs Above Common. The previous determine places him within the prime ten of shortstops this 12 months, whereas the latter determine is the perfect within the majors no matter place.
The offense has been a bit much less spectacular. He has hit .253/.310/.363 for a 91 wRC+ this 12 months, a drop from final 12 months’s .267/.314/.416 line and 104 wRC+. It’s doable the knee subject has been holding him again on the plate. He was hitting .276/.352/.435 for a 123 wRC+ by the top of Might however has a .240/.287/.324 line and 73 wRC+ because the begin of June.
Winn continues to be beneath membership management for 4 extra seasons after this one. He gained’t qualify for arbitration till after the 2026 season. Maybe a more healthy knee will assist him take a step ahead on the plate subsequent 12 months, however he’s nonetheless a beneficial participant now because of his wonderful glovework.
When Winn just isn’t enjoying, Thomas Saggese has taken a while at brief and can possible proceed to take action. Some further infield assistance is on the best way, as Goold and Woo observe that Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado are every nearing returns from the injured listing.
One factor that’s not into account is a promotion of shortstop prospect JJ Wetherholt. He has good numbers in his first 38 Triple-A video games however Woo notes that he has missed the 5 most up-to-date contests attributable to soreness from a non-baseball ailment. Although he’s returning to motion this week, the Playing cards will seemingly preserve him on the farm. He gained’t be Rule 5 eligible till December of 2027, so delaying his promotion implies that the Playing cards gained’t must have him on the 40-man this winter.
He has dabbled at second base and third base within the minors. Given Winn’s elite protection, maybe Wetherholt will probably be moved to a kind of positions going ahead. The Playing cards have Arenado signed by 2027 and he’s nonetheless a great defender however his offense has been subpar this 12 months. Shifting his contract could also be robust, particularly together with his no-trade clause, so maybe he will probably be on the scorching nook once more subsequent 12 months. Second base is a little more open. Guys like Saggese, Donovan and Nolan Gorman are within the combine there however they’ll play different positions.
Photograph courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Photos
