By Chris Brown – STL Baseball Today
When Matt Adams had surgery to repair a quad three quad strain in late May, the general consensus was that he wouldn’t step foot on the field again this season. Since then, the 26-year-old first baseman has progressed much faster than expected, and a early to mid-September return is looking more realistic by the day.
Adams has apparently responded well after going through a variety of tests at the club’s facilities in Jupiter, Florida, as GM John Mozeliak told KMOX on Sunday that the slugger could begin a rehab assignment at High-A Palm Beach as soon as Tuesday.
JAY SET TO TAKE BP MONDAY
Outfielder Jon Jay, who’s been sidelined nearly two months due to soreness in his surgically-repaired rest, is set to take batting practice on Monday, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The 30-year-old seems to turned a corner in the past few weeks: “This is the best I’ve felt all year. By far,” Jay said Saturday afternoon. “We took the time to get it right.”
While there’s no official timetable for his return, it appears Jay could be activated in just a few weeks.
WALDEN TO SEE DOCTOR, STATUS NOT AS PROMISING
In early August, a return to the majors appeared to be on the horizon for reliever Jordan Walden, who was in the midst of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis. Sidelined since April 30 with a biceps injury, the 27-year-old was shut down shortly thereafter due to continued discomfort. The latest update from Rick Hummel of the Post-Dispatch:
Walden said the biceps irritation was related to damage to his rotator cuff and labrum, but he insisted that he can avoid surgery.
The Cardinals have echoed that sentiment.
…The Cardinals have not ruled out whether the chronic nature of the injury is related to his violent, jumpy delivery, and Matheny said that the team knew he arrived from Atlanta last November with some injury concern. Walden dismissed the idea that he would have to calm his delivery to rehab the shoulder.
“I’ve been pitching for a long time,” Walden told Hummel. “I’ve been throwing hard since I was 15, 16 years old. I’ve got some damage, but nothing that’s going to need surgery.”
Walden will see a doctor this week to determine the best course of action, but unlike Adams and Jay, Walden’s return does not appear imminent.
Feature image used under Creative Commons by Keith Allison. No changes made. Image license.
