MLB Insider 'Could Really See' Cardinals Move Rising Star To DH Out Of Desperation

The St. Louis Cardinals' days of having one of the league's hottest lineups in 2025 are slowly fading and management is looking for ways to revive the struggling offense.

Although St. Louis' lineup ranks second in hits (232) and batting average (.264) and fifth in OPS (.738), the club is 10-15 and 5 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs at the bottom of the National League Central.

After losing one of their most prolific hitters earlier this season to injury, the Cardinals could make a desperate move to return him to the everyday lineup quickly.

"(Iván) Herrera is running, he's squatting, he's doing forward running, backward running but he's not really cutting yet and he's not running the bases but he is making progress," MLB.com's John Denton stated Wednesday during an interview with Sports Hub STL. "He's squatting and catching on the fastball machine. They (Cardinals) want him back as soon as possible, obviously. I could really see, maybe he doesn't catch as much and gets more at-bats at designated hitter. That's another one that causes kind of a logjam with (Alec) Burleson, (Luke) Baker, (Nolan) Gorman and Herrera at DH but you've got to find a way to get Herrera's bat in the lineup."

Ivan Herrera opened the season with a 1.506 OPS before landing on the IL. Could the #STLCards fast-track his return by easing him in as a DH?@JohnDenton555 says he “could really see” it happening pic.twitter.com/xn39Y3c8KS
— Sports Hub STL (@SportsHubSTL) April 23, 2025

Before being sidelined on Apr. 7th for a bruised left knee, Herrera was batting .381 with eight hits, six extra-base hits including four home runs, 11 RBIs and a 1.506 OPS in 21 at-bats across seven games played for the Cardinals.

Not having Herrera in the everyday lineup opened the door for 27-year-old Yohel Pozo to join Pedro Pagés in splitting time as St. Louis' catcher, which has worked out better than some might've expected.

Still, Herrera was the Cardinals' top slugger and with the team gradually scoring fewer runs per game, it's safe to say that St. Louis is desperate to have the 24-year-old back in the lineup.

Moving Herrera to DH would certainly cut into playing time for Burleson and Gorman -- two key pieces to the organization's future who've already struggled to log at-bats due to three-time All-Star Willson Contreras and 10-time Gold Glove defender Nolan Arenado's presence in the lineup.

It's early in the season, so the Cardinals have plenty of time to catch up to the Cubs in their division but with St. Louis having lost seven of its last ten games, it wouldn't be shocking to see Herrera return early from his injury to hit as the club's DH.

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