Cardinals Receive Extremely Positive Injury Update About Star After Freak Scare

All things are looking up for St. Louis right now after some early bad luck

The St. Louis Cardinals got some good news Friday afternoon.

St. Louis star catcher Willson Contreras scared fans after being forced to leave the club's Opening Day clash against the Toronto Blue Jays after being hit directly in the knee by a blistering fastball. Initially there was fear that Contreras would miss time, but the club got a positive update Friday after the catcher underwent tests and the team listed him as day-to-day with a right knee contusion. 

Cardinals manager Oli Marmol furthered the positive update ahead of the team's Saturday afternoon tilt against the Blue Jays. 

"Imaging came back, everything was clean, Marmol said prior to St. Louis' clash with the Blue Jays. "It's going to be as tolerated. I mean, it was a pretty hard blow. So, we'll evaluate how he's moving around today, see if he's available off the bench." 

To make matters even better for Cardinals fans, the three-time All-Star said himself that he would be available off the bench if the club needed him Saturday, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch' Lynn Worthy.

"Willson Contreras said he's feeling much better today, and he'd be available to hit off the bench if Oli Marmol wanted to use him," Worthy said. "He hoped to be able to return to lineup as early as tomorrow."

Contreras noted that he hoped to return to the field at catcher in the club's Sunday's matinee against Toronto, although no decision has been made at this time as to whether he will be ready to go. 

All in all the fact that Contreras is okay and able to return to the club in any capacity for Saturday's is a positive sign. When the 30-year-old first exited the contest Thursday, it seemed like it may be awhile before he returned. It even seemed likely that the team should consider free agent options, but it doesn't seem necessary any longer. 

All things are looking up in St. Louis. 

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