The Cardinals Are Facing Their Biggest 2022 Test In Toronto

Today, the St. Louis Cardinals were forced to place sluggers Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, and catcher Austin Romine, on the restricted list.

All three players are restricted from entering the country of Canada as a result of them not being vaccinated against COVID-19 in accordance with Canada’s vaccine mandate for people traveling from other countries.

Outfielder Conner Capel, catcher Ivan Herrera, and infielder Cory Spangenberg have been added to the Major League roster.

St. Louis opens up a brief two-game series at Rogers Centre against the surging Toronto Blue Jays.

Thus begins the Cards toughest test of the season.

The Cardinals announced the changes to their roster this afternoon on Twitter.

3B Nolan Arenado, 1B Paul Goldschmidt & C Austin Romine have been placed on the Restricted List.

We have recalled OF Conner Capel, C Iván Herrera, and selected the contract of INF Cory Spangenberg as substitute players from Memphis (AAA).

Spangenberg will wear uniform no. 18.

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 26, 2022

Cards Begin Tough Test

This is going to be a tough two games for the Cardinals.

They’ll send Andre Pallante to the mound in the opener of the series opposite Jose Berrios.

This will be the first time since acquiring Arenado that they’ll play a game with both him and Goldschmidt out of the lineup.

Against two tough pitchers such as Berrios and Kevin Gausman, who they’ll face in the second game, the offense will seem overmatched.

That doesn’t mean they won’t be able to make something happen.

The Cards are one of those teams that tends to prove the doubters wrong.

But the deck is certainly stacked against them.

They’ll probably have a better chance tomorrow when Adam Wainwright takes the mound.

At the very least, St. Louis will still have Brendan Donovan, Tyler O’Neill, Nolan Gorman, Tommy Edman, Dylan Carlson, and Albert Pujols.

It’s not like they’re devoid of offensive firepower beyond Goldschmidt and Arenado.

But this is going to be a tough test for a team that is so heavily reliant on those two sluggers.