With their postseason hopes fading, the St. Louis Cardinals have lost one of their best players to a potentially lengthy injury. Rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt was placed on the 10-day injured list with right wrist tendinitis, the team announced Sunday. Infielder César Prieto was called up in a corresponding move.
Wetherholt told reporters, including the Belleville News-Democrat, that he played through discomfort over the last few weeks that was chalked up to heavy usage. He will see a specialist in the coming days and hopes it is a minimum 10-day stint on the injured list, though you can be sure St. Louis will be cautious with its prized rookie.
The Cardinals have lost eight of their last 12 games and are behind three teams for the third wild-card spot. Here are the NL wild-card standings entering Sunday:
1. Cubs: 77-59 (+5 GB)
2. Phillies: 76-70 (+4 GB)
3. Padres: 72-64
-----------------------------------
4. Diamondbacks: 73-65 (percentage points behind the Padres)
5. Marlins: 68-68 (4 GB)
6. Cardinals: 68-69 (4 ½ GB)
Wetherholt, 24 next month, has been the NL Rookie of the Year favorite most of the season. He's hitting .242/.343/.370 with 17 home runs and 14 stolen bases, which is roughly league-average offense, and he's a sensational defender. Wetherholt ranks second among all players at all positions with 21 outs above average. He trails only Pete Crow-Armstrong (23 OAA).
As a league-average hitter with terrific defense, Wetherholt's Rookie of the Year case is a stathead one more than a traditional one. His 4.4 WAR is top 10 among all position players and more than a full win clear of the next best NL rookie. Here are three players who could benefit in the Rookie of the Year race should Wetherholt's wrist injury cost him more than the minimum 10 days.
All odds via DraftKings
OF Carson Benge, Mets (+1200)
Since early May, Benge has been one of the best hitters in baseball, not just one of the best rookie hitters in baseball. He's slashed .303/.363/.465 with 14 home runs and 13 stolen bases in 100 games since May 3, and his full-season .279/.339/.426 is more than respectable as well. Benge is also a strong right field defender with a knack for highlight reel throws.
The total package (offense, defense, baserunning) adds up to 3.1 WAR, an excellent total for a rookie or any player, really. Only Wetherholt tops that number among NL rookies. Benge's four-month rampage has been easy to overlook during New York's disappointing season, but make no mistake, he's been just outstanding most of the year.
OF Nolan McLean, Mets (+750)
Like Benge, McLean started the season slowly before really picking it up in the early days of summer. He has a 2.16 ERA with strong under-the-hood numbers in 16 starts since May 31, and 14 times in those 16 starts, McLean allowed two runs or fewer. His 3.0 WAR makes him a top 25 pitcher in baseball overall, and baseball's best rookie pitcher this season by a decent margin.
McLean made his MLB debut last Aug. 16 and pitched well down the stretch (2.97 ERA in eight starts) as the Mets crashed out of the postseason race. He remains rookie-eligible this season because he did not exceed the rookie limits of 45 days of service time (he finished with 44) or 50 innings pitched (he finished with 48). McLean barely retained rookie eligibility this season.
IF Sal Stewart, Reds (-650)
Stewart's Rookie of the Year case is built around traditional stats. His 104 RBI lead baseball, giving him a chance to become just the third rookie to lead the league in RBI. Ted Williams did it with the 1939 Red Sox (145 RBI) and Walt Dropo did it 11 years later with the 1950 Red Sox (144 RBI). Dropo won Rookie of the Year. Williams, incredibly, finished fourth in the voting.
To be sure, there is more to Stewart than RBI. His .265/.337/.484 batting line is comfortably above average. He's hit 30 home runs and he's played every infield position other than shortstop. Stewart's defense is not great, hence 2.6 WAR despite that offense, but he can really hit. A rookie leading the league in a major category will equal Rookie of the Year votes, no doubt.
Other NL Rookie of the Year hopefuls: 1B/DH Bryce Eldridge, Giants; LHP Shane Drohan, Brewers; 1B TJ Rumfield, Rockies
