ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Harrison Bader will be on the injured list to start the 2021 season due to soreness in his right forearm, announced manager Mike Shildt on Wednesday.
He says the 26-year-old will be out for "a solid four weeks at a minimum" after he receives a PRP injection. Bader was 3 for 28 this spring and Shildt says Bader feels he hasn't been able to consistently compete due to the soreness.
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So who's the next man up? Here are some options:
Tyler O'Neill
The 2020 Gold Glover in left field has been the best hitter for St. Louis this spring. His 14 hits and 1.090 OPS both lead the team, but his 12 strikeouts are also the second-most for St. Louis.
Lane Thomas
Thomas might be the guy the Cardinals are most-hoping to prove himself worthy of a starting role. His speed and glove make him a natural in center, but he's still not making the best case at the plate. His on-base percentage is just .281 this spring and that coupled with a 12 strikeouts (tied with O'Neill) is not a good combo. He's got a handful of games to turn it around.
Dylan Carlson
The prospective future of the Cardinals is going to be in the starting lineup one way or another. He already has more than 180 innings at centerfield in the majors and hasn't looked exposed by any means, but the metrics say he's much better in a corner outfield spot.
Carlson is starting in center for St. Louis in Wednesday's game and it's believed that he'll get the nod to start there come April 1.
Beyond just the centerfield position, Bader's absence also means a roster spot has opened and a few other players could force their way into an opening day role over the next week:
John Nogowski
Does anyone else get a Matt Adams vibe? This 28-year-old first baseman has been making a lot of noise this spring and could force himself onto the opening day roster. He's also been taking reps in the outfield since first base seems to be pretty well covered in St. Louis.
Justin Williams
He's not a candidate for center field, but is certainly making a strong case for a bench role at the least. You've seen the Twitter highlights of him striping the ball for extra bases recently and he'll likely get as many at bats as the aforementioned outfield candidates to prove his worth.
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