TAMPA -- In the midst of a potentially historic season at shortstop, Cardinals’ standout Masyn Winn was hit with a vicious one-two punch on Sunday morning.
Winn, who received a pain-killing injection in his left knee during the All-Star break and has been dealing with persistent soreness for weeks, was scratched from Sunday’s starting lineup because of the knee issue.
Also, Winn found out earlier in the day that MLB changed the official ruling on a grounder to him in Tuesday’s win over the Marlins. When Winn bobbled a fourth-inning grounder off the mound in Tuesday’s game, it was initially ruled to be an infield single. However, the ruling was changed to an error – ending Winn’s errorless streak at 49 games. Prior to that rule change, Winn hadn’t committed an error since June 19 when he had made an errant throw vs. the White Sox in Chicago.
The significance of the ruling change meant that Winn now has three errors for the season. MLB’s record for the fewest errors by a shortstop (minimum: 140 games) is three – set in 1990 by Hall of Famer Cal Ripken and equaled in 2000 by 11-time Gold Glover Omar Vizquel.
Winn, 23, is MLB’s leader in Outs Above Average at 21. Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. are tied for second with 19. The Cardinals are hopeful that their star shortstop will be able to return by Monday night when they face the Pirates at Busch Stadium.
In 116 games, Winn has slashed .258/.314/.378 with nine home runs and 46 RBIs. He has swiped nine bases, but he has been caught stealing five times.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said the team knew coming into today that Winn and left fielder Alec Burleson (right wrist irritation) would be game-time decisions because of their lingering injuries. Whereas Burleson and the medical staff decided he was ready to play on Sunday – after getting Friday and Saturday off to recover – Winn was ruled out soon after arriving at the stadium even though he was initially slotted into the starting lineup.
"We’re on the same page as far as what [his playing schedule] needs to look like and how to protect it and how to be smart with night-day games and doubleheaders and that type of stuff,” Marmol said. “That part of it has been super smooth, because it’s easy for me to talk to him and get a real answer for how we need to move on something. And he’s super honest with it, knowing when he can go and when he’s on the verge of needing a day [off]. That part of it has been really easy.”