Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina expected to miss 8-12 weeks

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina will miss eight to 12 weeks with a torn ligament in his right thumb, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. 

Molina left Wednesday night's game against the Pirates. Molina, 31, had appeared in 83 games and was hitting .287 in 303 at-bats. He was set to start in next week's All-Star Game in Minnesota.

With Molina out, the Cardinals will rely on catching duo Tony Cruz and Audry Perez. Cruz has hit .233 and has been Molina's backup since 2012. 

- Jessica Pifalo