Cardinals catcher Molina will have MRI on left thumb, wrist

CHICAGO The play at home plate that won Sunday’s game against the Cubs also leaves the Cardinals concerned about what it could cost them in the coming week.

Catcher Yadier Molina will have an MRI scan taken of his left thumb and wrist to determine the extent of an injury sustained while making a game-saving tag. In the eighth inning of the Cardinals’ 4-3 victory at Wrigley Field, Molina received a throw from right fielder Jason Heyward that he turned into a double play. But as his mitt met Anthony Rizzo’s foot in front of home plate, Molina’s thumb bent backward, spraining it.

“It hurt,” Molina said. “It’s still hurting right now. We’ll see what the MRI says.”

Molina had the left wrist and thumb wrapped tightly in bright red tape after the game. He stayed in the game to catch the final out of the eighth inning which came on a 100-mph fastball from closer Trevor Rosenthal. But he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the ninth and replaced by backup Tony Cruz for the final half inning. Manager Mike Matheny said he had to remove Molina from the lineup because was concerned about the injury, and whether it would compromise his ability to grip a bat.

“He didn’t have any trouble (catching Rosenthal). He knew what was on the line right there,” Matheny said. “(Molina) coming out of the game took some talking to do it. He wanted to stay in and thought he could still catch. I didn’t want to see him with a bat in his hand. We’re anxious to hear what the doctors have to say.”

Matheny offered his initial sense.

“Concerned,” he said.

A year ago, Molina missed a chunk of the season recovering from surgery on his right (throwing) hand. He injured the hand sliding into third base. He has described how strength returned to the hand during the course of this season. Matheny said the two games off Molina received in the past week were related to the catcher being “beat up,” but not any concerns with his hand. Molina was moved down to seventh in the order Sunday and had a single in his first at-bat to break a zero-for-13 stretch.

Baseball’s elimination of collisions at home plate has given rise to the tag at home, something that the Cardinals now teach at every level and Molina has helped refine for the organization. The play does leave the wrist and hand exposed, a risk that Matheny explained is there at every other base as well. He said it’s weighing potential hand injuries “that are everywhere” vs. the brain injuries that can come from collisions.

In the ninth, Cruz threw out Cubs speedster Quintin Berry when he tried to take second base and put the tying run in scoring position. Berry had not been thrown out in his 25 previous steal attempts in the majors.

Rosenthal called Cruz “Little Yadi.”

“Whatever comes up, he’s ready for it,” Matheny said. “He’s not just ready, he’s sharp.”

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