Cardinals' Tommy Edman suffers another frustrating injury setback

When Tommy Edman was seen in a wrist wrap during the early part of the 2023 offseason, John Mozeliak reassured media and fans alike that he'd be ready to go for Opening Day, but that was quickly retracted once Spring Training began. Edman's recovery process has been perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the Cardinals' season so far, as his return to action has been delayed repeatedly.

While John Mozeliak has made comments that Edman would return at the end of June, and now around the All-Star Break, the Cardinals' presumptive center fielder may not be back as expected. Edman was supposed to go on a rehab assignment in the coming days, but he has once again suffered an injury setback. It's a huge blow to a projected Cardinals starting outfield of Lars Nootbaar, Tommy Edman, and Jordan Walker, none of whom are currently on the active roster.

While he hasn't re-injured the wrist that he had surgically repaired in the offseason, Edman has reportedly sprained his ankle while doing fielding activities yesterday. While the Cardinals say Edman is merely day-to-day, they have been wrong about his recovery in the past, and it sounds like an injury that could linger and set Edman back much longer than originally anticipated. It's honestly astounding how much bad luck Tommy Edman has faced this year, and his ridiculous injury history at the beginning of the season does not make it look like he'll make a return to a Major League field anytime soon.

Mozeliak's comments about adding a right-handed bat that can play center field also hint at the possibility that the team is not fully expecting Edman to return on time or be an effective bat going forward. With Michael Siani, Dylan Carlson, and Victor Scott II all playing great defense in center field but being significantly below average offensively, the Cardinals may need to acquire another bat to get more production in center as an insurance plan for Edman.