The Cardinals delivered two pieces of injury information Monday. One is pretty great news for the club while the other is at least somewhat bad news.
We'll start with the good. Ace starter Adam Wainwright, who was previously declared out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, has been cleared for baseball-related activities, the team announced.
Wainwright will soon throw a simulated game and could become part of the bullpen by the end of the regular season, Cardinals GM John Mozeliak told reporters (Jenifer Langosch).
On the bad news front, catcher Yadier Molina has a slight tear in a ligament in his left thumb. Later this week, he'll be re-evaluted, but the language the Cardinals are using says they are "optimistic he'll return this season." That also means he might not, since optimism isn't definitive.
Wainwright, 34, was 2-1 with a 1.44 ERA in his four starts before tearing his Achilles. He finished third in Cy Young voting last season when he went 20-9 with a 2.38 ERA. He has experience out of the bullpen, as he took the ball 61 times in relief in the 2006 regular season, then serving as closer during the Cardinals' postseason run to a World Series title.
Molina, 33, is hitting .270/.310/.350 with four homers and 61 RBI this season. Obviously his work behind the plate means he's still a valuable piece, though. Cardinals pitchers have a 2.79 ERA with Molina behind the plate and a 3.70 mark with Tony Cruz catching. Cruz will the primary starter with Molina down while Ed Easley and Travis Tartamella are the other catchers on the expanded roster.
Wainwright definitely looks like an x-factor type addition in time for the playoffs while the Cardinals will be holding out hope Molina is back to 100 percent by then.
