St. Louis Cardinals catcher will be placed on the injured list after suffering a left knee injury, confirmed by manager Oliver Marmol to ESPN’s Buster Olney during the recent game against the Red Sox. Imaging results brought some relief, revealing no structural damage. Herrera was forced to exit the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader in the third inning, limping off the field following a Luken Baker foul-out.
He was helped off by manager Oliver Marmol and head athletic trainer Adam Olsen. Broadcast footage showed Herrera unable to bear weight on the injured leg. The 24-year-old had been a rare bright spot in the Cardinals’ 2025 campaign, putting up a strong .381/.458/1.048 slash line with four home runs and 11 RBIs in just 22 plate appearances. He also made history last week as the first catcher in the franchise’s 144-year history to hit three homers in a single game. His 11 RBIs are tied for eighth-most in MLB this season.
With Herrera sidelined, Pedro Pagés is expected to take over everyday catching duties. The 26-year-old Venezuelan stepped in on Sunday, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs in the early game before struggling later with an 0-for-5 night that included two strikeouts.
The question of depth behind the plate becomes more urgent given that former starter Willson Contreras is expected to focus on first base and DH duties in 2025, per team president John Mozeliak. With no other catchers currently on the 40-man roster, Marmol confirmed that Yohel Pozo will meet the team in Pittsburgh to join the roster. The Cardinals will need to make a roster move to add Pozo once Herrera is officially placed on the IL, likely ahead of Monday’s 5:40 p.m. CT game against the Pirates
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