Cardinals fans held their breath in the final spring training game when shortstop Masyn Winn appeared to hobble off the field, reminiscent of last year’s injury scare with Dylan Carlson. Fortunately, Winn is expected to be fine after briefly rolling his ankle during the exhibition game in Memphis against the team’s Triple-A affiliate. Despite the concern, he passed on-field tests and continued playing, easing worries ahead of the regular season opener against the Twins.
Masyn Winn is expected to be perfectly fine after a brief scare.
Winn’s health is crucial for the Cardinals this year, as the team opted not to carry a true backup shortstop on the big league roster, even after initially assuring Jose Fermin of a spot. Winn has shown durability in his young career, playing 150 games last season despite battling minor back issues. He is expected to bat near the bottom of the order this season after primarily serving as a leadoff hitter in 2024.
Sonny Gray has been battling an illness along with his velocity concerns.
Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Gray battled flu-like symptoms and received a pain-killing injection in his throwing arm. The veteran starter acknowledged his decreased fastball velocity but remained optimistic about bouncing back when games start to count.
“Clearly, the ball is not blasting out of my hand. That, I believe, was the most significant difference after the second; perhaps avoid trying to beat people with a fastball when it may not be present. I started just pitching a little bit.”
Sonny Gray
Zack Thompson’s placement on the 15-day IL could be a positive outcome
In other injury news, left-hander Zack Thompson was placed on the 15-day injured list after suffering a lat strain early in March. Initially shut down for three weeks, Thompson now needs time to rebuild strength before returning to game action. While the short-term IL placement could signal a mild injury, there’s still a chance he could be moved to the 60-day list if his recovery stalls. However, the team’s decision to avoid a longer IL stint for now suggests they are playing it safe.