The Cardinals placed the fielder Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day IL due to a real groin strain, the team announced. Since it’s right Jake Woodford was elected to the alternative training ground after yesterday’s match, the two open roster spots were filled by the fielder Lane Thomas a right hand Johan Oviedo.
O’Neill suffered the injury during an innings in the 9-5 defeat yesterday against the Brewers. He slowly came out of the victim’s container after hitting a ground container. He was replaced the next inning in the field. Manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) that O’Neill might only be out for a minimum of ten days, saying the young fielder ‘Good news from a visual point of view …. Probably a three to four day (situation) before he can get in there. We did not want to play short for three or four days. ”
The IL stint could potentially act as a setback for O’Neill, who scored just .143 / .172 / .286 with a league-high 14 strokes over his first 29 record appearances in the 2021 season. Strikeouts have been a persistent issue during O’Neill’s four MLB seasons, and his overall production on the board has declined significantly since a promising 2018 rookie season. On the plus side, O’Neill won a golden glove for his defensive work as the Cardinals’ regular left-back in 2020.
O’Neill joins Harrison Bader on the 10-day IL, leaving the Cards even more short in the outfield. Thomas is a veteran of 52 Major League matches and will participate in the series Dylan Carlson, Justin Williams, Austin Dean, a handyman Tommy Edman (if Edman is not on second base). Minor league signing Matt Szczur is also available at the team’s alternative training ground.