What the Cardinals' latest injuries mean for them and the NL playoff race
St. Louis lost Matt Holliday and Matt Adams on Thursday
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2 min read
The Cardinals had the worst Thursday in baseball.
In addition to placing first baseman Matt Adams on the disabled list before their game against the Cubs, the Cardinals later lost Matt Holliday during the game to a fractured thumb -- an injury suffered on a hit-by-pitch. Oh, and as for that game? The Cardinals lost on a questionable ball-four call. Ouch.
Matt Holliday is going to be placed on the DL with a fractured right thumb. #stlcards
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) August 12, 2016
At this point in the season, everything -- every loss and injury and transaction -- must be viewed through the lens of how it impacts the playoff race. As such, we have to ask: just how does Holliday's boo-boo affect the Cardinals -- and for that matter, the rest of the National League?
To state the obvious: it hurts the Cardinals. St. Louis entered Friday a half game behind the Marlins for the second Wild Card spot. Unfortunately, overtaking the Fish is now going to be a more difficult task. Bundling Holliday's injury with Adams' -- as well as the ones suffered by Aldemys Diaz and Michael Wacha in recent weeks -- means the Cardinals will again have to test their depth, this time in replacing their most-days first baseman and left fielder. That's never easy to do, let alone in mid-August.
Obviously some teams find a way to overcome the injury bug -- the Dodgers, for instance, have plowed ahead without Clayton Kershaw -- but this Cardinals bunch doesn't seem likely to do so. Consider that the Cardinals will probably place Brandon Moss at first base during Adams' absence. Fine enough. But in left field, the Cardinals will have to turn to a timeshare between Jeremy Hazelbaker and Randal Grichuk. Perhaps each enjoys a well-timed hot streak, but neither is the kind of player you want to rely upon over the final month-plus of a pennant race -- Grichuk, in particular, has failed to capitalize on last year's momentum.
While the Cardinals find themselves in an unfortunate situation, the Dodgers and Marlins figure to be the biggest benefactors, with the Dodgers all but sewing up the top Wild Card spot. As for the Marlins, the next-closest teams besides the Cardinals are the Pirates (two games back) and Mets (three) -- and neither appears too inspiring. We all know a lot of unpredictable stuff can happen in baseball -- and hey, maybe that means the Cardinals find a way to avoid slipping down the standings.
But, as of right now, it appears that St. Louis' latest onslaught of injuries could well ensure a Marlins-Dodgers Wild Card Game.
