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Mets J.D. Martinez Breaks Cardinals Star's Forearm In Freak Incident

St. Louis took a huge hit on Tuesday night
Scott Neville|
May 7, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) is
May 7, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) is | Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

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St. Louis CardinalsNew York Mets

The St. Louis Cardinals took a significant hit they could not afford during Tuesday’s 7-5 loss to the New York Mets.

The now 15-21 Cardinals already have fallen 3 ½ games back in the Wild Card race and will have to go roughly two months without their most productive player this season due to a freak injury.

Willson Contreras broke his forearm extending his arm behind the plate to frame a pitch -- unfortunately, Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez’s bat made contact with the glove prior to the ball, hitting the backstop clean.

The fractured left forearm will take Contreras out of action for six-to-eight weeks, he told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale after the game. 

Contreras is hitting .280 with 17 extra-base hits including six home runs, 12 RBIs and a team-leading .949 OPS in 31 games this season. The Cardinals have scored 126 runs this season, the third-fewest in Major League Baseball. Take out Contreras' production and they are challenging the Chicago White Sox for the worst offense in the league.

Iván Herrera will be taking the bulk of the catching duties with Contreras sidelined. He’s hitting .232 with four extra-base hits including 11 RBIs and a .653 OPS in 24 games in his first full campaign in St. Louis.

Fellow rookie Pedro Pagés will likely be inserted into the mix as well, who has just four plate appearances in the big leagues.

The Cardinals were reeling out of the gate and could not afford to lose Contreras’ bat or glove. Now they’ll have to find a way to spark their offense without their most effective bat in the lineup. St. Louis will also have to navigate two rookies calling pitches, though this scenario is where a veteran-laden staff comes in handy.

More MLB: Pair Of Ex-Cardinals Shining With New Teams After Departing From St. Louis

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Scott Neville
SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville runs "St. Louis Cardinals On SI." The Merrimack College graduate is the publisher for a bevy of sites in the MLB and NFL landscapes after early success with "Boston Red Sox On SI" led to expansion. Before he was given the opportunity to join On SI, he was developing his skillset at one of the top regional sports networks in the United States, NESN, where he covered all sports. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: scott@moreviewsmedia.com

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