• Willson Contreras (forearm) makes rehab debut at DH
    Willson Contreras (forearm) went 1-for-3 with a run scored on Tuesday in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Memphis.

    Advice: Contreras got in a handful of at-bats at designated hitter in his first minor league rehab contest since undergoing surgery back in early May to repair a left forearm fracture. There’s a strong possibility he’s back for St. Louis before the end of the month. Rotoworld Tuesday, 4:30 pm
  • Could be activated June 24
    Contreras (forearm) could be activated from the 10-day injured list as soon as next Monday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Contreras will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday and might require less than a week of rehab games before rejoining the Cardinals lineup. Woo cautions that the catcher's timeline for rejoining the big club remains tentative, and a firmer return date may not come into focus until Contreras gets a few rehab games under his belt. Rotowire.com Monday, 8:28 am
  • Willson Contreras (forearm) starts rehab assignment
    Willson Contreras (forearm) will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Memphis.

    Advice: Contreras has been cleared to return to game action and is targeting a return to St. Louis before the end of the month. The 32-year-old backstop has made a rapid recovery from surgery last month to repair a fractured left forearm. There’s a chance he’s back by the start of next week. Rotoworld Monday, 8:27 am
  • Beginning rehab assignment Tuesday
    Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that Contreras (forearm) is likely to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with either Triple-A Memphis or Double-A Springfield, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

    Advice: Contreras reached a meaningful milestone in his recovery from surgery to repair a fractured left forearm by taking batting practice earlier in the weekend, and with the veteran backstop apparently coming out of the workout without any renewed soreness, he looks like he's ready for game action. Because he's been on the shelf since May 8, Contreras could stay on his minor-league rehab assignment throughout the week before potentially returning from the 10-day injured list before the end of June. Once Contreras is activated, he should reclaim the No. 1 catcher's role from Ivan Herrera. Rotowire.com Sunday, 9:52 am
  • Contreras (forearm) likely to begin rehab Tuesday
    Willson Contreras (forearm) is likely going to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday.

    Advice: Contreras has made a rapid recovery from surgery to repair his fractured forearm, and what looked to be an injury that would keep him out through the All-Star break now appears to be one where he could be back as the Cardinals backstop in the next week. Keep in mind that setbacks do happen, but all signs point to the 32-year-old being a regular for the Cardinals much sooner than anticipated. Rotoworld Sunday, 9:05 am
  • Aiming for return in late June
    Contreras (forearm) is targeting a return in late June, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports.

    Advice: Contreras has resumed taking batting practice and hopes to be cleared to begin a rehab assignment early next week. If that happens, a return sometime during the Cardinals' June 22-30 homestand is likely. It would be at least a couple weeks quicker than he was initially expected back following surgery in early May to repair a fractured forearm. Rotowire.com Saturday, 11:04 am
  • More BP, then games
    Contreras (forearm) came out of his Friday's batting practice session with no issues and will repeat the step for the next few days, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

    Advice: It was the first time Contreras had taken BP since he had surgery on his fractured left forearm in early May. The hope is that he will be ready for a rehab assignment after a few days of batting practice, but he will need to gain medical clearance first. Contreras is tracking toward an earlier-than-expected return, but there's no target date just yet. Rotowire.com Saturday, 9:45 am
  • Yainer Diaz (finger) returns to action on Friday
    Yainer Diaz (finger) returned to the Astros’ starting lineup for Friday’s series opener against the Tigers.

    Advice: It’s the first time that the 25-year-old backstop has been in the lineup since he took a foul tip off of his finger during Sunday’s game. He’ll serve as the team’s designated hitter and bat fifth against tough left-hander Tarik Skubal while Victor Caratini does the catching for the Astros and will bat eighth. Rotoworld Friday, 1:28 pm
    Yainer DiazHOU - C,1B
    W, 14-11 vs BAL
     
  • Returning to lineup
    Diaz (finger) is batting fifth and is the designated hitter for Friday's game against the Tigers.

    Advice: Diaz missed three straight games with a right index finger injury, but he'll be back in action Friday. Considering his injury impacts his throwing and accuracy, Diaz could require a few more games at DH before working behind the dish. The 25-year-old had a six-game hit streak prior to being injured with four homers during that stretch. Rotowire.com Friday, 1:20 pm
    Yainer DiazHOU - C,1B
    W, 14-11 vs BAL