Following his early exit Monday night and ahead of an absence Tuesday because of a right bicep injury, Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras described the balancing act he faces to end the 2025 season.
“I’m just trying to stay on the field for the rest of the season, but as of now, it’s day-to-day,” Contreras said Monday night.
Contreras, 33, is dealing with a mild biceps strain, manager Oli Marmol said Tuesday to reporters, including Post-Dispatch columnist Lynn Worthy. The Cardinals plan to use the next 48 hours to evaluate the first baseman’s injury and are expected to have a clearer sense of Contreras’ status on Friday, coming out of the team’s off-day Thursday. Alec Burleson started at first base Tuesday in Contreras’ absence.
Contreras left Monday’s series opener against the Reds at Busch Stadium in the seventh inning. He recalls feeling a cramping-like sensation in his right bicep that he tried to shake off during his final at-bat. Despite the discomfort, Contreras remained in the game and pulled a ground ball to right field with a 102.1 mph exit velocity for a single that scored Burleson from second base and lifted the Cardinals, who have 10 games remaining this season after Tuesday, to a brief lead in their 11-6 loss to Cincinnati.
“I was able to get that base hit for the team,” Contreras said.
Contreras said the discomfort in his bicep is an injury he has not dealt with previously. He recalls feeling tightness in his right bicep dating back to before his four-game suspension in early September. He’s received daily treatment for the injury but has felt it get “a little tired or even worse than before in recent days.
“We’re trying to be careful with it,” Contreras said.
Contreras has felt it flare up on check swings, which he noted is a challenge of playing through the discomfort. Contreras said he tried to manage the injury in-game Monday but felt it worsen after his sixth-inning at-bat.
A conversation with team trainers and his exit when Nolan Gorman pinch-hit for Contreras with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning.
“I tried today (to manage it), but after my last at-bat, it got worse and I spoke to the trainers, and we don’t want to put anything at risk based on where our season is at right now (with) almost a week and a half or two to finish,” Contreras said.
Arenado felt ‘fresh’ in return game
After playing in his first big league game since July 30, third baseman Nolan Arenado said he felt “fresh” through all of Monday’s series opener vs. the Reds.
In his first game back after spending over five weeks on the injured list with a strained right shoulder, Arenado went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a double. Arenado’s first hit was an RBI single in the second inning. He followed that by doubling to right field in the seventh inning on a line drive that had a 100.6 mph exit velocity, per Statcast.
Arenado said he felt “fine” with the throws he made, fresh off rebuilding strength in the shoulder during his rehab process.
“I wouldn’t sit here and say, my arm … doesn’t hurt. It’s just not 100% strong, but I still can make the good throws,” Arenado said. “I just got to keep working through, keep playing catch every day, get my arm back to feeling just strength again. But as far as pain goes, no pain, so that was nice.”
Minors awards
Outfielder Joshua Baez and right-handed reliever Luis Gastelum were, respectively, named Cardinals minor league player and pitcher for the month of August.
Baez, 22, batted .293 with a .389 and slugged .507 in 22 games during August. The second-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft connected on five homers and drove in 14 RBIs for Class AA Springfield (Missouri).
Gastelum, 23, earned pitcher of the month honors following an August during which he posted a 2.93 ERA, collected four saves and had a 0.85 WHIP in 10 games. Gastelum, an international free agent signee out of Mexico in 2023, totaled 22 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings and held opposing hitters to a .189 batting average.
Cardinals prospects Rainiel Rodriguez, Deniel Ortiz and Jason Savacool were named to the Florida State League post-Season All-Star team. The three selections gave Class Low-A Palm Beach a share of the Florida State League lead in All-Star selections.
Extra bases
Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn said he plans to have an MRI on Thursday for the torn meniscus in his right knee that ended his season and will visit Dr. John Uribe in Miami for a second opinion and surgery. The operation could happen as early as Friday.
Class AA Springfield began the Texas League playoffs on the road Tuesday vs. Tulsa, the Dodgers’ Class AA affiliate. Left-hander Ixan Henderson was Springfield’s Game 1 starter in the Texas League semifinals, which will shift to Hammons Field in Springfield for Games 2 and 3, if necessary.
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Daniel Guerrero | Post-Dispatch
Baseball writer
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