Cardinals Injury Update: Ivan Herrera and Ramon Urias’ absences explained

Like the World Baseball Classic, spring training is nearing an end. With less than two weeks to go until Opening Day, the St. Louis Cardinals have quite a few orders of business to sort through before finalizing their 26-man active roster.

Among the most important agenda items to address is the absence of Ramón Urias and Iván Herrera from the last batch of exhibition games. There wasn't a ton of news about why they were missing time, so it's reassuring to hear from Derrick Goold that both are working their way back from injuries.

Obviously, it isn't ideal that a key slugger and reliable utility man are missing time and could be facing extended absences if they face any setbacks. But considering Goold's initial report indicates both are making progress in their recoveries, this is a good sign that both could return prior to Opening Day.

Cardinals receive mostly positive injury updates on two key position players

Iván Herrera

The fact that Herrera will catch (whether in games or on the backfields, we're not sure) before leaving camp is worth a sigh of relief. That means his knee isn't damaged in any serious way, which portends a return to health in short order.

For what it's worth, Goold later confirmed that Herrera isn't expected to grab many starts at catcher in the early going as he tends to his knee issue. He also reaffirmed what we already know, which is that Pedro Pages will be the Cardinals' starting backstop in 2026.

That's all fine and well — Herrera is expected to soak up most of the playing time at the designated hitter spot anyway. His bat is most important, as the 25-year-old is coming off a season in which he hit a robust .284/.373/.464 while smashing his career high in home runs with 19. His wRC+ has climbed steadily in each of his years in the big leagues, topping out at an impressive 137 mark in 2025.

Ensuring that his knee isn't affecting his setup or swing at the plate is what's most crucial. Hopefully, with a bit more rest, all will be right for the most important hitter in the lineup.

Ramón Urias

Urias' status is less certain from Goold's update, as we'll have to wait and see how his elbow responds to a session in the batting cages. He's also less important to the team's overall success in 2026, but make no mistake: the Cardinals will be better once Urias is healthy.

The 31-year-old utility man is renowned for his defense, especially at third base, where he won a Gold Glove with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. He's graded out as at least an average defender at all four infield positions in previous campaigns, and he should function as a Swiss Army knife for Oli Marmol this season.

That's not to say he can't hit; last year, Urias posted a 108 wRC+ against southpaws, and he's actually been above average against pitchers of either handedness throughout his career. He may not start all too often, given the fledgling young talent the Cardinals have manning the infield, but he'll capably fill in once an injury or string of off days besieges that group.

More than Herrera, the Redbirds have an incentive to rush Urias back. A veteran on a cheap one-year deal, he figures to be a valuable trade chip at the deadline if he proves healthy and effective in St. Louis.