MESA, Ariz. — A few days shy of an opening day start in center field he earned with a superb spring, Dylan Carlson crashed into a Cardinals teammate and tumbled into uncertainty a few feet short of the outfield wall.
Carlson and Jordan Walker collided in right-center field during the second inning of the Cardinals’ stopover exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs on Monday at Sloan Park. A line drive found the seam between them, and when Walker dived for the ball, his shoulder connected with Carlson’s leg, spinning the center fielder in the air and onto the ground — hard. Carlson attempted to brace himself with his left hand and departed the game with a left shoulder injury.
He was undergoing exams late Monday evening.
“He feels banged up,†manager Oliver Marmol said. “Combination of that left shoulder when it hit the ground, his hip, his ankle. So I don’t have a whole lot just yet other than he doesn’t feel real good. ... When you get toward the end of spring, you’re trying to just make it out healthy. The last few games, you’re just trying — hope nothing like this happens. He’s had a tremendous spring, so hopefully he comes out of this OK.â€
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Walker had a sore shoulder as a result of the collision but remained in the game and afterward said: “It would be a lot better if nothing serious was happening with ‘DC.’â€
Carlson’s injury could add to the absences in the outfield.
The Cardinals already will open the season Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles against the Dodgers with two starters — Tommy Edman (wrist) and Lars Nootbaar (ribs) — on the injured list. If Carlson is unavailable, Michael Siani is the only center fielder on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster, and he already was told he had made the opening day roster. One of the most dynamic young players of spring, speedy Victor Scott II, is the Cardinals’ top center field prospect, and although recently reassigned to minor league camp, he could speed to the majors if needed.
The Cardinals believe Scott’s defense already is major league ready, and his speed on the bases gives him an element that plays at any level.
Plucked off waivers from Cincinnati last season, Siani is one of the finest fielders on the roster. The Cardinals positioned him as part of the late-inning, good-hands team that they would use to close out games with their strongest defensive group. Siani replaced Carlson in center Monday and had a soaring catch in left-center field to steal a double from Cubs catcher Yan Gomes.
“We’ve seen him do it several times now,†Marmol said. “At times, it may not look as extravagant as what we just saw, but it’s because he’s getting to certain balls that some other center fielders in the league aren’t getting to. He plays a really good defense. He gets good jumps. He takes the right angles toward balls. He’s done a nice job. He’s shown well.â€
Carlson had just initiated a rally that tied the game in the top of the second inning when he stood in center to begin the bottom of the inning. Nico Hoerner stung a liner that brought Walker and Carlson racing together into the gap — and into each other.
Walker, the only person nearby, said he could not hear if Carlson called it.
“Either he called me and I didn’t hear it, or we didn’t call each other off at all,†Walker said. “That ball is hit in the gap, and I don’t think either of us had any control. What we’ve been taught is (the) center fielder — once he calls you off, stop. But until then, you’re giving 100% effort. That is exactly what I was doing. I was giving 100% effort for it. If he called me (off), I’m sorry if I didn’t hear him. ... I feel really bad for running into him. I think I saw him a little bit too late as well.
“I just wanted to do everything I could to catch that ball.â€
It’s the second injury during a game this spring to a Cardinals outfielder — Nootbaar fractured his ribs making a catch against the wall earlier this month. Edman never got into a game this spring because of setbacks experienced following wrist surgery. He was ruled out for opening day several weeks ago, and that threw open the competition for starting center fielder. With a strong kick to finish spring, Carlson seized it.
The switch-hitter drilled a home run from the left side against Minnesota on March 13 and during the next week hit two more homers to finish Florida as the team leader with three. He also led the team with 13 RBIs. Carlson reached base at least once in 10 of his final 11 games of spring. That included the walk to lead off the second inning Tuesday against Cubs starter Jordan Wicks. Carlson scored the Cardinals’ first run to tie the game 1-1.
He walked off the field with a trainer before the end of the inning.
“He’s been swinging the bat so well, and he’s already done it defensively,†Walker said. “It’s really frustrating on my part. I just hate that it went down the way that it did.â€
Bullpen shines
Before Carlson’s availability for Thursday’s season opener became a question, the Cardinals had one decision remaining for their 26-man active roster. They had announced all of them but the last spot in the bullpen.
Ryan Fernandez, the Cardinals’ Rule 5 draft pick, burnished his claim to a spot in the bullpen with 1⅔ scoreless innings in Monday’s game. The Cardinals purposefully put him into a sticky situation with runners on base, and the right-hander slipped free of trouble with his slider, which has been one of the most effective pitches in camp. Fernandez’s outing was the longest from a bullpen that pitched 4⅔ scoreless innings and allowed only one hit.
The bullpen bought time for the Cardinals to rally for a 6-3 victory.
Matthew Liberatore pitched a scoreless inning with help from Siani’s diving catch, and Riley O’Brien struck out one in his scoreless inning. Liberatore has been told he’ll be in the opening day bullpen. The Cardinals have talked about O’Brien as if he would be since before exhibition games began.
The one remaining spot has one remaining unknown: John King, an incumbent and candidate to be a third lefty, remained back in Florida because of an illness. The Cardinals hope he’ll throw an inning in a minor league game Tuesday so that they can make a decision on his availability for Thursday.
Contreras, etc.
With a flourish he reserves especially for his former team, Willson Contreras tied Monday’s exhibition game against the Cubs with a mammoth two-run homer. The might of the homer and timing was surpassed only by his bat flip and his casual stroll around the bases that included a pause near third base.
He was enjoying the mix of cheers and reluctant applause from a crowd of 16,112. Contreras, a champion and All-Star with the Cubs, had a blast with his blast — then stayed following the game to sign autographs for fans after hitting his first homer of spring training.
- Brandon Crawford (bruised hand) participated in batting practice Monday and is expected to start at shortstop Tuesday in the final exhibition game of spring. He has not played in nine days.
- In his final outing of spring, Steven Matz had success with his cutter, throwing it a dozen times and landing nine strikes. Matz needed 79 pitches to complete 4â…“ innings, and he struck out three. He allowed three runs, two of them on solo homers by Seiya Suzuki. Suzuki has six homers this spring.