Cardinals field player Harrison Bader will begin the season on the injured list due to an “outbreak” of a forearm injury that required an injection of platelet-rich plasma, manager Mike Shildt announced to reporters on Wednesday (Twitter link via Jeff Jones of Belleville News). He will be away from the pitch for “a solid four weeks, at least,” according to Shildt.
Bader’s injury lends some clarity to the Cardinals’ field mix. Tyler O’Neill and Dylan Carlson are blockages at this point, thanks to great spring displays. Carlson can play on the central court early if necessary or slide to the right court, where he was initially designed with a healthy Bader in play.
Justin Williams, Lane Thomas and Austin Dean they are probably competing for the remaining starting position, and it is possible that all three can make the list (two as reserves). Dean has some experience in first base, which gives him a little more use in a bank role. Williams, however, is still awaiting a decision on whether he has a secondary league option remaining or not. If he does not, then he will be practically guaranteed a place on the Opening Day list, as he will not be able to be sent to minors without first compensating for the waivers.
Bader has become a polarizing figure among Cardinals fans due to his low average hit rate, but he is among the best central defenders in the game and has some power on his plate. In the past three seasons, he has posted a combined .234 / .326 / .401 hitting line with 28 home runs, 41 doubles and seven trebles through 958 plate appearances – good for a 97 wRC + (about three per percent worse than the average league attack when weighted for domestic park and league). Some of Bader’s OBPs are sustained by hitting often in eighth place in front of the pitcher, however, and his 29.4% hitting rate on this stretch is problematic for obvious reasons. Still, a player with his defensive aptitude and a solid ISO of 0.167 (less hitting average strokes) need not be an offensive force to provide value.
That said, the Cards will now take a closer look at several off-field candidates who have a very offensive upside, so it will be interesting to see if any of them compete with the opportunity and challenge 26-year-old Bader. for playing time after your eventual return. Shildt’s four-week schedule would take Bader until at least April 21, although the absence could be much longer in the probable case that he needs an adjustment at the alternate team / Triple-A location, since his forearm discomfort has been clarified.