Cardinals Star Shut Down For Season With Surprising Injury; What's Next For Him?

St. Louis got some bad news Friday involving one of the club's biggest stars

The St. Louis Cardinals can't seem to get out of their way. 

St. Louis has struggled this season and one of the biggest reasons why certainly is the wide range of injuries the club has dealt with. The Cardinals seemingly have never been fully healthy this season and it has resulted in an abysmal 67-87 record with just eight games left.

The Cardinals got even more bad news Friday as star third baseman Nolan Arenado was placed on the injured list for the first time since 2020 effectively ending his season, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo. 

"Nolan Arenado is on the (injured list) for the first time since 2020," Woo said. "The Cardinals placed him there this afternoon, ending his season. Arenado finishes the year with 26 HR/93 RBI, the first season he didn't record at least 30 HR/100 RBI since 2014 (!) -- excluding the shortened 2020 season."

Arenado joined the Cardinals ahead of the 2021 campaign and unsurprisingly has been exceptional. The Cardinals have had a wide range of struggles this season but the expectation is the club will be significantly better in 2024. Arenado surprisingly found his name in trade rumors ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline but remained with the club. It's unclear if those conversations will continue this upcoming offseason but it is extremely unlikely that Arenado is playing anywhere besides St. Louis in 2024. 

The Cardinals will be looking to add a boost to the starting rotation and if they can do so and retain the same offense they had this year -- including Arenado -- they could be back in the playoffs next year.

More MLB: Polarizing Cardinals Star Reportedly Could Be Shut Down For Season Due To Latest Injury