Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras suffered a broken left forearm when he was hit by a swing during Tuesday night’s 7-5 loss to the New York Mets. Contreras said he will need surgery and expects to be out for at least six weeks.
“I’m in a lot of pain right now, but I’m really disappointed about missing the games,” Contreras said. “It’s tough not being out there with the team, but I’ll do my best to support them and cheer them on.”
The injury occurred when J.D. Martinez was at bat in the second inning. Martinez’s swing clipped Contreras, causing him to fall over in pain before being examined by the team’s medical staff.
“I felt terrible,” Martinez said. “I knew I hit something solid. I didn’t mean to hit him.”
Martinez was given first base due to the catcher’s interference. Contreras was diagnosed with a left forearm fracture, and Iván Herrera replaced him behind the plate.
Contreras believed Martinez’s swing was a bit late, leading to the unfortunate collision. “I’m not blaming him. He’s just doing his job,” Contreras said. “These things happen.” Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas described Contreras as the team’s “heartbeat” behind the plate.
“He’s always trying to help us by framing pitches,” Mikolas said. “Looking back, maybe there should be a line for catchers to stay behind, to keep everyone safe.”
