Cardinals' Phenom Dealing With Injury But Seems To Have Avoided Disaster

St. Louis can't afford to lose the young shortstop after a red-hot start

Apr 15, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn throws the ball to / Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals have been dealt a difficult hand due to injuries so far this season.

St. Louis has had an up-and-down start to the campaign and currently is 8-9 on the young season. One of the biggest reasons for the Cardinals' inconsistencies has been a plethora of injuries. St. Louis hasn't been at full strength once this season so any mention of a possible injury sure is nerve-wracking.

Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn raised eyebrows recently as he was held out of action and it seems to be the reason why is because he reportedly has been dealing with lower-back stiffness, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

"Masyn Winn was dealing with lower-back stiffness in Arizona," Woo said. "No spasms, and feels he’s on the other side of it now. Explains some of his playing time decisions over the prior series."

The young phenom took over the club's shortstop position in Spring Training and certainly has been impressive. He arguably has been the team's most successful offensive player so far this season and currently is slashing .370/.388/.500 to go along with two triples, five RBIs, and two stolen bases in 15 games played.

If the Cardinals were to lose Winn for any period, it would hurt the lineup in a big way but also significantly deplete the club's defensive prowess. Winn has been stellar both offensively and defensively and the club currently is thin due to other injuries.

It seems like Winn has avoided any significant injury at this time, but his back is something to monitor moving forward.

More MLB: Here's Why Cardinals Phenom Masyn Winn Missed Sunday's Game Despite Hot Start