Cardinals middle fielder Dylan Carlson has been identified with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder following a collision with proper fielder Jordan Walker throughout yesterday’s Grapefruit League sport, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak introduced to reporters Tuesday (X hyperlink through Bob Nightengale of USA At the moment). He’ll open the season on the injured listing. In his place, the Cardinals will choose the contract of outfield prospect Victor Scott. He’ll open the season in middle discipline.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Submit-Dispatch experiences that Carlson’s absence will likely be measured in weeks, not months. As such, whereas the Cardinals might want to open a 40-man roster spot for Scott, putting Carlson on the 60-day IL seemingly gained’t be a consideration when figuring out a corresponding transfer.
It’s an unlucky blow for each Carlson and the Cardinals. The membership got here into camp with a deliberate outfield of Walker in proper, Tommy Edman in middle and Lars Nootbaar in left. Edman and Nootbaar are every going to begin the season on the IL, Edman on account of lingering soreness in his wrist after final yr’s arthroscopic surgical procedure, Nootbaar on account of rib fractures suffered whereas making an attempt to make a catch.
That opened the door for Carlson, who was himself been ceaselessly beset by accidents. After a breakout season in 2021, he missed time in 2022 on account of a left hamstring pressure and left ankle sprain, getting capped at 128 video games. Final yr, the ankle points resurfaced and he solely bought into 76 video games, finally requiring surgical procedure on that ankle.
He appeared to be in good kind this spring, having hit .271/.340/.521. Simply as he was about to open the season with a beginning middle discipline job, a brutally timed collision will ship him to the injured listing as soon as once more. He’ll hopefully be capable of get wholesome and rejoin the membership in just some weeks, nevertheless it’s additionally doable that Edman and/or Nootbaar will likely be again within the combine by that time.
Extra to return.
