Cardinals’ Outfield Stability Shaken After Siani’s Injury
In a recent game, center fielder Michael Siani experienced a pull in his right side during his second at-bat, a possible game-changer with respect to the Cardinals’ recently established outfield stability. After the game at Wrigley Field, Siani underwent an MRI to evaluate the seriousness of his suspected oblique injury, which had taken him out of the game prematurely. This occurred merely days after the Cardinals had traded two other center fielders, leading to uncertainty around Siani’s immediate availability.
Following the outcome of Siani’s exam, the Cardinals’ next steps are not yet established, according to John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations. The full extent of Siani’s injury, which became evident during the Saturday game, won’t be known until Sunday. The likelihood is that the Cardinals will place emphasis on maintaining a strong defense and bring back Victor Scott II, their starting center fielder from the first game of the season.
Tommy Pham and Lars Nootbaar, incumbent members of the team, have also extensively covered the center field position and are potential candidates. Their involvement would provide room to bring in a right-handed batter, a role the Cardinals hoped Pham would fulfill. Nootbaar subbed in for Siani in Saturday’s game, and his sacrifice fly led the Cardinals to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Cubs thanks to scoring Pham from third base.
Siani has proven to be a brilliant fielder, with his performances ranking among the top center fielders in advanced metrics. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had helped save 10 defensive runs, placing him high in his field. Siani’s skill in the field is complemented by his growing offensive prowess, further extending the Cardinals’ batting lineup. He has an overall batting average of .260, with a slugging percentage of .329.
Over the duration of a 12-match hitting streak, Siani performed excellently, batting .432 with a .488 on-base percentage and a .947 OPS. Siani’s speed was also on display as he successfully swiped all four of his attempted steals. As a result, the Cardinals hinged multiple of their deadline deals around the center field position in recognition of Siani’s consistent performances and value to the team.
To secure both Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham in a tripartite deal, the Cardinals exchanged Tommy Edman, who was propagated as their future everyday center fielder for 2024. As the deadline neared, the Cardinals finalized another trade, letting Dylan Carlson go to Tampa Bay to welcome reliever Shawn Armstrong. Like Pham, Armstrong had been a regular center fielder for the White Sox, with Nootbaar filling in on a few occasions for Siani.
Nootbaar himself suffered an oblique strain earlier in the season, missing more than a month’s worth of games. If Siani were to encounter the same injury and recovery timeline, the Cardinals could look to their minor league players to either assist on the bench or fill in the outfield gaps. Renowned for his defense and speed, Scott has attracted attention with a stellar record in recent games for Memphis, having achieved 10 hits in 27 outings, which included two home runs and two stolen bases.
Fresh trade arrival Pham has scored more playing time than initially predicted, proving his worth with each game. If his game time increases, he might not be the ideal choice for the bench’s right-handed batter. Depending on the extent of Siani’s absence, the Cardinals might consider Jordan Walker or Luken Baker for added strength. Known for his powerful, high-speed hits throughout the Redbirds’ latest road series, Walker has a record of .243 batting and a .391 slugging percentage after a 70-game season in the minor league.
Baker boasts a powerful record at Memphis, with a count of 27 home runs and an .865 OPS, and a performance score of .286 against left-handed pitchers with a .695 slugging percentage. Matt Koperniak, who isn’t on the 40-man roster, is also a potential reinforcement. He is having an impressive season with an average hit rate of .319, an OBP of .370, and an OPS of .887, having achieved 14 home runs in 86 appearances.
During Saturday’s game, the Cardinals conceded the 100th stolen base of this season when the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner snatched second base in the fourth inning. From the All-Star break onwards, the Cardinals’ opponents have succeeded in 16 out of 19 steal attempts. These figures mirror those of the previous season and set a trajectory for one of the highest counts of successful steals against the Cardinals since the mid-1990s.
This increase in successful steals was intensified last year with changes in Major League Baseball rules. The dimensions of the base were enlarged and restrictions were placed on the frequency with which a pitcher could counter to the first base. The figures for the current and previous season are the highest since 1997, a year in which the Cardinals had 134 bases stolen from them.
The Cardinals have not recorded 100 or more stolen bases in consecutive seasons since the 1980s. Prior to the 2021 season, the highest number of stolen bases allowed by the Cardinals in the 2000s stood at 86 in 2002. Even during Yadier Molina’s reign, when attempts to steal were rare, the highest number recorded was 85 in 2016.
Masyn Winn’s impressive performance on Friday saw him securing two more hits, putting him at the top of the rookie leaderboard for the current season with 108 hits. Winn follows Vince Coleman, the last Cardinals rookie to achieve this in 1985. Had Dylan Carlson secured one more hit in 2021, he would have attained the same milestone. Albert Pujols only fell short to Ichiro Suzuki in the 2001 season.
With their victory over the Cubs on Saturday, the Cardinals are set to have a winning record against them for this season. This marks the 16th time since 2000 the Cardinals have achieved this feat against the Cubs.