With Sunday marking the final home game of the 2025 regular season at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals found ways to honor two of the prominent faces of their organization.
John Mozeliak, the exiting president of baseball operations, and third baseman Nolan Arenado, who could be dealt this winter as the Cardinals continue to retool their club, were honored by the club.
Accompanied by his family for an on-field recognition that included a video tribute highlighting his time as the president of baseball operations, which began after the 2007 season, Mozeliak threw out the ceremonial first pitch from the pitcher’s mound. The pitch was caught by his son, Will.
Mozeliak’s video tribute highlighted moments on and off the field during his tenure, which included the club’s 2011 World Series championship and five postseason appearances.
“You don’t hold that seat for as long as he has without doing some really good things. My hope is that he gets appreciated for that,” manager Oli Marmol said of Mozeliak, who first joined the Cardinals organization after the 1995 season as a scouting assistant.
Along with his son Will, Mozeliak was joined on the field by his wife, Julie, and daughter Allyson.
Although a previous version of the Cardinals’ lineup before their Sunday finale vs. the Brewers had Arenado out for rest and the day-after-night game turnaround following Saturday’s 3-2 loss in 10 innings to the Brewers, it was unclear if he would get a send-off for his potential last home game as a Cardinal.
Marmol said Arenado’s absence was “needed” following the veteran third baseman’s return from a lengthy stay on the injured list because of a right shoulder strain.
Considering the possibility Sunday’s game could mark Arenado’s last home game as a Cardinal if he is dealt this winter, Marmol said it was unclear if Arenado would come off the bench in the finale.
“It’s still early. (We’ll) figure out how these guys are feeling and what they can and cannot do,” Marmol said.
Arenado, who is under contract through 2027 and for whom Mozeliak explored trading ahead of the 2025 season, was announced as a late addition to the starting lineup and took the field pregame at third base as starter Matthew Liberatore warmed up. Once starter Liberatore finished warming, Marmol walked out of the dugout for a mound visit that ended with Areando leaving the game in place of Nolan Gorman.
Arenando, who Mozeliak acquired in a trade with the Rockies ahead of the 2021 sseason, tipped his cap to fans in attendance before heading into the dugout.
Herrera to undergo elbow surgery
Before using his offseason to prepare for 2026 as a catcher, Ivan Herrera is expected to undergo surgery on his right elbow this offseason, Marmol confirmed before Sunday’s home season finale.
On Saturday, Marmol said Herrera would stick to catching over the winter and would go through an offseason program that would emphasize improving his throwing arm and calling games. As the Cardinals’ starting catcher on opening day this year, Herrera appeared in 14 games at catcher but has been used primarily as a designated hitter after two stints on the injured list because of a bone bruise in his left knee and a left hamstring strain.
It is unclear if elbow surgery will alter Herrera’s offseason throwing program.
Nootbaar breaks down baserunning error
Reflecting on the baserunning mistake in the 10th inning of Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Brewers, Lars Nootbaar said he did not think right-hander Jared Koenig would “get a glove” on Brendan Donovan’s comebacker that led to a costly double play.
As the automatic base runner to begin the 10th inning with the Cardinals trailing by a run, Nootbaar initially broke toward third base on the grounder Donovan hit to Koenig. Koenig fielded the baseball cleanly and looked toward Nootbaar, forcing him to retreat to second base before ultimately throwing to first base.
Once Nootbaar saw Koenig fire a throw to first base to record the out of Donovan, Nootbaar broke toward third base but was thrown out by first baseman Andruw Monasterio for the double play.
“Just a little aggression that turned into a misstep,” Nootbaar said.
Extra bases
Although absent from the Brewers’ starting lineup, William Contreras avoided the injured list Sunday after an X-ray on his left hand was negative, according to multiple reports. Contreras was forced to exit Saturday’s game against the Cardinals in the eighth inning when Herrera’s bat hit his glove hand.
The Brewers placed right-hander Brandon Woodruff on the 15-day injured list with a right lat strain and recalled lefty Robert Gasser from Class AAA.
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Daniel Guerrero | Post-Dispatch
Baseball writer
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