What Is the Timeline on JJ Wetherholt's Return for Cardinals?

The St. Louis Cardinals have just 13 games left in the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season and there's a very real chance that the club's rookie phenom is able to return before all is said and done.

JJ Wetherholt hasn't played in a game since Aug. 29 due to wrist tendinitis. He has been working his way back behind the scenes and earlier in the week, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the hope was that Wetherholt would be able to return during the Cardinals' home stand. Wetherholt gave an update on himself and shared that he's not expecting to go on a minor league rehab assignment and that the hope is still to return during the home stand, if things went well with his workout on Saturday, as shared on X by Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat. The home stand will run through Sunday, Sep. 20. So, he should be back over the next week, if all goes well.

JJ Wetherholt Is Just About Back

Sep 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt reacts during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"JJ Wetherholt said this afternoon he doesn’t anticipate going down to Memphis for a rehab assignment, given the limited time left in the season. Hope is that he checks out well enough after today’s work that he can be active during the homestand," Jones wrote.

The Cardinals kicked off a nine-game home stand on Friday against the Chicago White Sox. The Cardinals won the first game and then lost the second game on Saturday, 6-5. Now, there are seven games left in the home stand, starting on Sunday in the rubber match against Chicago. After that, the Cardinals will begin a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Monday and then a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Sep. 18.

While the Cardinals aren't going to be in the playoffs this season, it arguably would be for the best to get Wetherholt back, of course. Wetherholt still has an outside chance of winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award, although that is unlikely now. If he can return and get red-hot, maybe he can swing the race at the last second. The other reason why it's arguably important to get Wetherholt back is to have the rookie see the entire year through. Just because the Cardinals aren't going to be in the playoffs, doesn't mean that these games aren't important.

The Cardinals are getting looks right now that could very well impact the 2027 team. This young Cardinals team is building something good. They're young and have the potential to really make some noise next year. It's important for this group to stick together and make it to the end, even are losses. These are learning moments that will help the club in the long run. So, if he's ready, let him go. Fortunately, it sounds like he's close and we could see him in the coming days.

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