The St. Louis Cardinals notched their first win of July against the Chicago Cubs and are now aiming for a second straight victory. Another key focus is whether star third baseman Nolan Arenado will return to the lineup after sitting out the previous game due to a right shoulder impingement.
Initially, it didn’t look promising for Arenado’s return, as he wasn’t listed in the starting lineup. As reported by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “No Nolan Arenado in the lineup. stlcards planned for him to go thru evaluations today to determine severity/recovery of right shoulder.”
However, Arenado was later seen on the field testing the shoulder and providing a positive update.
“Arenado is out testing his shoulder, says it feels better, and he is going to make a case to be in the lineup. Says the off day is a factor here for extra recovery,” Goold shared.
Earlier in the week, Arenado also missed two games against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to a jammed index finger he sustained in a series versus the Cleveland Guardians. With multiple injuries piling up, the Cardinals may simply be taking a cautious approach with their veteran infielder.
Arenado’s name has also surfaced in trade rumors, and ongoing injury concerns could impact his value or make teams hesitant to pursue him. Despite the speculation, Arenado recently reflected on the team’s performance and what motivates him at this stage in his career.
“Just seeing everyone, one through nine, contributing — I love playing this kind of baseball, especially against the Cubs when the games really matter,” he said. “As you get older, that’s what you play for. I’ve achieved some personal goals in this sport, but now I want something bigger — to win a World Series. This is the most excited I’ve been for a series like this in the last two years.”
The Cardinals, now 48-42 and sitting third in the NL Central, are still within reach of the division lead. Continued wins could help them climb the standings and stay in the playoff hunt.