ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals will lose one of their veteran bats for the foreseeable future. Catcher Willson Contreras heads to the injured list one day after a he suffered a left arm fracture.
Contreras is expected to miss six to eight weeks as he recovers from the injury. He is set for surgery Wednesday afternoon.
Contreras suffered the injury as Mets hitter J.D. Martinez swung through a pitch early in Tuesday’s contest. The back-swing struck Contreras in the arm. The Cardinals have reportedly emphasized having him move closer to the plate while handling the pitching staff.
“This is the most pain I’ve been through, for sure. I knew right away it was a bad situation,” said Contreras via Bally Sports Midwest after the game. “I’m not going to blame anybody. I just have to get back stronger.”
Contreras enjoyed a relatively strong start compared to the rest of the Cardinals offense to this point, hitting .280 with six home runs and 12 RBIs through the first month-plus.
The injury allows Iván Herrera to take over starting catcher duties for the next several weeks. Pedro Pagés was recalled from the minors in a corresponding move to offer depth at the catcher position.
The Cardinals wrap up a six-game homestand on Wednesday afternoon, weather permitting, then begin a six-game road series that brings them through Milwaukee and Anaheim.