Updates on three injured Cardinals, including two All-Stars

Updates on three injured Cardinals, including two All-Stars originally appeared on The Sporting News

St. Louis Cardinals beat reporter John Denton provided updates on three injured players, including two All-Stars, on Wednesday. 

Utility player Brendan Donovan is still working his way back from foot/groin pain and hasn’t “advanced much past cage work.” Meanwhile, third baseman Nolan Arenado is in the early stages of a throwing program in Jupiter, Fla., after suffering a right shoulder strain.

Center fielder Victor Scott II (sprained left ankle) is progressing. Denton reports that he went through “an extensive pregame workout” with Cardinals’ coach John Jay on Wednesday. He will go through pregame with Double-A Springfield today and play in a game there on Friday. 

#STLCards All-Star Brendan Donovan (foot/groin pain) is still working through soreness and hasn’t advanced much past cage work, manager Oli Marmol said.

Nolan Arenado (right shoulder strain) is in the early stages of his throwing program in Jupiter, Fla., Marmol noted.

— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) August 27, 2025

St. Louis’ injury problems

The Cardinals’ playoff hopes are all but over as they sit 7.5 games back of the last NL Wild Card spot. Injuries have certainly hurt St. Louis down the stretch. 

Arenado has been on the injured list this entire month, and Donovan was placed there on Aug. 18. Scott last played in a game on Aug. 16. 

And the Cardinals’ offense was already struggling before those injuries, scoring just 80 runs in the month of July. That ranked 29th in the majors, ahead of only the Pittsburgh Pirates, and their 101 runs this month are toward the bottom of the rankings, too. 

But young players have been getting opportunities as a result, like Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese and Nathan Church, who made his MLB debut on Aug. 17. 

Gorman has been much better while filling in for Arenado at third base, hitting four home runs and 13 RBI over 22 games this month after a poor July that included an IL stint. 

The Cardinals face the Pirates in the series finale at Busch Stadium today at 2:15 p.m. ET.