Last year, the season of St. Louis Cardinals ace Jack Flaherty was derailed by oblique and shoulder injuries.
He still managed to make 15 starts and pitch 78.1 innings, in which he had a 3.22 ERA.
Unfortunately, it’s looking like his right shoulder, which was strained in the second half of 2021, is barking again.
According to manager Oliver Marmol, the Cards are looking for answers.
“The Cardinals are awaiting a second opinion on the imaging from Jack Flaherty’s tests and will proceed from there. Oli Marmol said this morning he doesn’t know if Flaherty will be out a week or a month, but feels it’s not responsible to speculate until the opinion comes back,” The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported on Wednesday.
The Cardinals are awaiting a second opinion on the imaging from Jack Flaherty’s tests and will proceed from there. Oli Marmol said this morning he doesn’t know if Flaherty will be out a week or a month, but feels it’s not responsible to speculate until the opinion comes back.
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) March 17, 2022
His Chances Of Being Ready For Opening Day Are Slim
The whole Cardinals fan base is holding its breath while they wait for good news on Flaherty’s shoulder, but at this point, it would be a surprise if he starts the season on the active roster and not on the injured list.
He is the single most important pitcher on the roster, one that the Cardinals can’t afford to be without for a long period of time and expect to make the playoffs.
The pitcher himself appears to be optimistic about the outcome of the situation, but while hasn’t been ruled out for Opening Day, it’s looking like a long-shot.
If he misses several turns in the rotation, Drew VerHagen or Johan Oviedo could find themselves making a lot of starts.
In fact, St. Louis may have brought in VerHagen with Flaherty’s right shoulder in mind.
Let’s hope that he doesn’t have a serious injury and can return to the mound after a few days of rest.
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