Cardinals' Answer if Joshua Báez Needs to Miss Time

Aug 29, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Joshua Baez (22) hits a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cardinals' Answer if Joshua Báez Needs to Miss Time

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 17, 2026 8:10 AM ET

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It was a nerve-wracking day on Wednesday for the St. Louis Cardinals, to say the least. St. Louis dropped its series finale against the San Francisco Giants, 6-5, in 10 innings. On top of that, rookie outfielder Joshua Báez was forced to exit early due to tightness on his left side.

After the game, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Báez is considered day-to-day right now by the team. With the Cardinals having a day off on Thursday, we'll likely have to wait until Friday to get an update. In a perfect world, Báez will be back in the lineup on Friday and this will be a moot point. But what if he doesn't feel well and needs to miss time?

In that scenario, the Cardinals should roll with Nathan Church in left field and give Victor Scott II some run out in center field. Scott returned to the big leagues on Sep. 1. He was demoted back in June as he was struggling offensively. Down in Triple-A, he was much better. In his final 27 games with Triple-A Memphis before returning to the big leagues, he slashed .291/.371/.437 with two homers, eight RBIs, 11 walks, five doubles, two triples and 15 stolen bases.

What's Next For St. Louis?

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While this is the case, he hasn't gotten much of an opportunity since returning to the big leagues. He has gotten into 14 games, but mainly as a pinch runner or late-game defensive replacement. In the 14 games, he actually has just four at-bats and hasn't started a single game.

That should change if Báez ends up needing any time. Scott is just 25 years old. When he's on the field, he is elite defensively out in center field. His bat hasn't fully caught up in the majors, but he was hot down in Triple-A before coming back up. Maybe, this will be the moment when things click. Take a look at Jordan Walker's 2026 season. Who saw that turnaround coming? Don't give up on Scott just yet.

With the 2026 winding down, Church is very likely in line for another significant role in 2027. But Scott is someone who could make things interesting if he can live up to his lofty potential.

Again, in a perfect world, Báez is back on the field on Friday. If not, then the next best thing would be to give Scott another real shot.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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