Cardinals Finally Wave the White Flag on Masyn Winn's Thumb Injury
The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to place Gold Glove shortstop Masyn Winn on the injured list after a lingering left thumb injury became too painful to play through.
HotTakes Editorial TeamUpdated 2 min read
Finding live odds…
The St. Louis Cardinals are finally waving the white flag on the Masyn Winn thumb watch. After days of pretending a pinch-running appearance meant everything was fine, MLB Trade Rumors reports the team is officially placing their Gold Glove shortstop on the injured list.
Winn initially jammed his left thumb sliding into second base during a win over the Cincinnati Reds last Tuesday. He tried to tough it out, making a couple of late-game defensive cameos, but manager Oliver Marmol eventually had to admit the obvious. The initial tests came back clean, but structural integrity does not mean much when holding a baseball bat feels like grabbing a handful of hornets.
"Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol noted that while tests didn't show anything serious, 'the pain is there.'"
Losing Winn is a brutal blow for a St. Louis squad that just got absolutely cooked by the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cardinals dropped three of four games in Philly, giving up 25 runs in the process and looking completely out of sorts.
Winn has been the defensive glue for this roster all season. He has committed just eight errors across 122 games while chipping in 19 doubles and 51 RBIs. His slash line of .238/.314/.326 will not win him a Silver Slugger, but his glove is the only reason half the pitching staff still has a job.
Trying to replace a guy who plays shortstop like he has a magnet in his glove is the kind of problem that ruins a manager's sleep schedule. The Cardinals have been trotting out JJ Wetherholt in the leadoff spot to fill the void. That is a nice story, but it is not exactly the kind of lineup swap that makes you want to hammer the St. Louis moneyline.
Winn is heading back to St. Louis for further evaluation now that the road trip is over. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have to figure out how to patch their infield together just in time to host the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night. If you are holding a ticket on the Cardinals making a late-season push, it might be time to start looking for the cash-out button.
Key stats
Key stats.238/.314/.326 slash line in 122 games
19 doubles and 51 RBIs
Only 8 errors committed this season
What's next
Winn will undergo further testing in St. Louis, leaving the Cardinals to navigate a tough upcoming series against the Baltimore Orioles without their defensive anchor.
