The St. Louis Cardinals provided some encouraging news on two key players that could impact their upcoming matchups. Catcher Iván Herrera, recovering from a left knee bone bruise, is closing in on a rehab assignment. According to Katie Woo on X, formerly Twitter, Herrera caught a bullpen session and is aiming to begin his rehab as early as Thursday. After being sidelined since early April, Herrera has shown strong progress running, hitting, and catching without issue in recent days.
This is a great sign for St. Louis’ depth at one of the most crucial positions on the roster. The team will conduct a final evaluation once they return home Friday, but all signs point towards Herrera beginning his minor league stint very soon. His return would be a significant boost to the Cardinals’ catching options, giving the club added flexibility behind the plate as they navigate the middle stretch of the 2025 season. With his ability to manage pitchers and bring energy behind the dish, Herrera’s return could be a pivotal factor in tightening up the Cardinals’ defense and helping stabilize a pitching staff that has had its ups and downs.
Meanwhile, Woo also stated that Steven Matz’s role with the Cardinals could be evolving into something much bigger. Manager Oliver Marmol hinted that moving Matz into the rotation is a real possibility given his outstanding early-season performance. Matz, who has a 1.86 ERA across one start and six relief outings, remains a steady option whether out of the bullpen or starting games. If not used heavily this weekend against the Brewers, Matz is likely to make a spot-start next week against the Cincinnati Reds, a move that could have bigger implications for the team’s pitching strategy moving forward.
Miles Mikolas, while recently strong with a 6th inning shutout performance, could find his rotation spot under pressure as the left-hander continues to shine. With the Cardinals in need of consistent arms to stay competitive in the tightly packed NL Central race, both Herrera’s and Matz’s potential role change are critical developments to monitor over the next week.
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