St. Louis Cardinals rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt landed on the 10-day injured list with right wrist tendinitis this past Sunday, a brutal blow for a team watching its chances dim. This isn’t just a minor setback either. The 24-year-old star told reporters he’d been playing through discomfort for weeks, chalked up to heavy usage. He’s seeing a specialist soon, and while everyone hopes it’s a minimum 10-day stint, you know the Cardinals are going to be careful with their prized rookie. Infielder César Prieto got the call-up to fill his spot.
This injury comes at a rough time for St. Louis, who have lost eight of their last 12 games and are now trailing three teams for a crucial spot in the standings. They are currently 4 ½ games behind the Padres for that third spot, with the Diamondbacks and Marlins also ahead of them. This team needed a spark, and losing their best rookie is the exact opposite of that. It’s a tough break, no doubt about it.
Wetherholt has been the runaway favorite for NL Rookie of the Year for most of the season, and for good reason. His stat line of .242/.343/.370 with 17 home runs and 14 stolen bases shows a league-average offense, but his defense is where he truly shines. The kid is a sensational defender, ranking second among all players at all positions with 21 outs above average, trailing only Pete Crow-Armstrong. His 4.4 WAR is already top 10 among all position players, a full win clear of the next best NL rookie. This isn’t just a good rookie season, it’s an all-around dominant performance. But what happens if this wrist injury keeps him sidelined for more than those 10 days?
That’s where things get wild for the Rookie of the Year race. Two Mets outfielders are suddenly looking like serious contenders if Wetherholt misses significant time. Carson Benge, with +1200 odds, has been on an absolute tear since early May, slashing .303/.363/.465 with 14 home runs and 13 stolen bases in his last 100 games. His 3.1 WAR is outstanding, making him a complete package with offense, defense, and baserunning. Then there’s Nolan McLean, also from the Mets, with +750 odds. He started slow but has a ridiculous 2.16 ERA in 16 starts since May 31. These guys are putting up numbers that demand attention, especially with the favorite potentially out of commission.
The big question now is how long Wetherholt will be out. Every day he misses is a day for Benge or McLean to close that gap. This Rookie of the Year race just got a whole lot more interesting, and we’ll be watching to see if Wetherholt can return quickly and keep his lead or if one of these Mets stars can snatch the award.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply