The St. Louis Cardinals continued to manage Masyn Winn’s left thumb injury carefully Friday, keeping their Gold Glove shortstop out of the starting lineup for a second consecutive game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The 24-year-old Winn did not start Friday’s contest as the Cardinals opted to give him additional time to recover from the thumb issue he sustained earlier in the week. Although the injury has not been considered serious based on initial testing, Winn has continued to experience pain, prompting manager Oliver Marmol and the Cardinals’ medical staff to take a conservative approach.
Winn was still able to contribute late in the game. After remaining on the bench for most of the night, he entered as a defensive replacement at shortstop in the 10th inning of St. Louis’ dramatic 7-6 extra-inning loss to Philadelphia. His appearance provided the Cardinals with his elite defensive ability when the game reached its decisive stage, even though he was not healthy enough to start.
The injury occurred Tuesday in Cincinnati during the Cardinals’ 3-0 victory over the Reds. Winn hurt his left thumb while sliding into second base following a seventh-inning double. He had an impressive offensive night in that game, collecting three extra-base hits, including two doubles and a home run.
However, the thumb issue appeared to affect him the following night. Winn went hitless in four at-bats and struck out twice during St. Louis’ 5-4 loss to Cincinnati. The Cardinals subsequently decided to keep him out of the starting lineup while he received additional treatment.
Marmol said before Friday’s game that Winn needed the day off because of the lingering discomfort. The manager explained that the team would monitor how Winn responded to treatment before making a decision about his availability for the next game.
The uncertainty continued after Friday’s loss, with Marmol unable to confirm whether Winn would be ready to return to the starting lineup Saturday.
This is not the first time Winn has dealt with trouble involving his left thumb this season. He was previously scratched from the lineup in June because of thumb irritation but was able to return the following day. The Cardinals will likely be even more cautious this time given the importance of Winn’s defense and the recurring nature of the issue.
Despite an inconsistent offensive season, Winn remains a key component of the Cardinals’ roster. Through 122 games, he is batting .238 with a .314 on-base percentage and a .326 slugging percentage. He has recorded 19 doubles and 51 RBIs while committing only eight errors, highlighting the defensive value that has made him one of the club’s most important players.
For St. Louis, the priority is clearly to avoid turning a manageable thumb problem into a longer-term injury. Winn’s ability to take the field defensively in the 10th inning was an encouraging sign, but his continued pain means the Cardinals will likely wait until he is fully comfortable before putting him back into everyday duty.
With the Cardinals already dealing with pitching concerns and other roster injuries, losing Winn for an extended period would add another challenge. For now, the club appears prepared to sacrifice some immediate production in order to protect one of its most valuable defensive players.
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