St. Louis Cardinals: Aledmys Diaz Leaves Game after HBP

In a team already wrought by position player injuries, the St. Louis Cardinals’ star rookie shortstop was taken out of the game Sunday vs. Miami in the first inning after being hit in the hand.

Earlier this month, Matt Holliday took a nasty 95 mph pitch to the nose in a game versus the San Diego Padres, courtesy of pitcher Andrew Cashner. It was a scare and had the potential to put the St. Louis Cardinals at even more of a disadvantage, with offensive threats Matt Carpenter, Jhonny Peralta and Brandon Moss already on the disabled list.

Luckily, Holliday, unfazed and tough-as-nails as usual, was in the lineup the very next day, with no significant injury. But it was a scare.

More from St Louis Cardinals News

• Cardinals Rumors: 3 pros and cons of signing Carlos Rodon
• Cardinals: Here is Willson Contreras’ first message for St. Louis fans
• How do the St. Louis Cardinals stack up with Willson Contreras?
• Cardinals: The insane asking price the Athletics had for Sean Murphy
• St. Louis Cardinals: Ask me anything with Josh Jacobs – 12/8

Now, the Cardinals have a similar situation on their hands with shortstop Aledmys Diaz; it just so happens that the pitcher is that same Cashner, just days ago traded to the Marlins.

Cashner has no reason to hold any sort of grudge or plunk the Redbirds intentionally, so its likely just a coincidence and an unfortunate couple of mislocated pitches.

Hitting second in the top of the 1st, Diaz was hit on the left hand and immediately visited by the Cardinals’ medical trainer, asked to wiggle his thumb before trotting down to first base.

He was quickly retired after #3 hitter Stephen Piscotty grounded into a double play, but that was the last we’d see of Diaz in Sunday’s game, as he was replaced at shortstop by Greg Garcia in the top of the 2nd.

EDITOR UPDATE:  As of 1:25pm, Derrick Goold posted a tweet that in tonight’s rehab start, Peralta is now slated to play short stop with Carpenter playing third.  This is clearing an indication that the St. Louis Cardinals are at least concerned about Diaz.

To that note, however, the St. Louis Cardinals have released that Diaz has suffered a hand contusion with follow-up exams on Monday.

Next: St. Louis Cardinals Acquire Zach Duke

With Peralta and Moss nearly back on the MLB roster, the Cardinals can only hope that their shortstop contending for the Rookie of the Year isn’t set back terribly by his thumb.