Cardinals can’t catch a break with Tommy Edman after latest injury update

The St. Louis Cardinals have been banged up for much of the season.

Despite the return of Willson Contreras, the Cardinals are still without Tommy Edman and Lars Nootbaar. And Edman recently had a setback in his rehab.

Edman had wrist surgery in October and has not played a single game for the Cardinals in 2024. However, that isn't what is slowing him down. In truth, his wrist was beginning to heal.

According to John Denton of MLB.com, Edman sprained his ankle while fielding ground balls. Now, his rehab will be put on hold until the Cardinals can determine the severity of the ankle injury.

Tommy Edman injury update: Sprained ankle puts rehab on hold

The Cardinals have simply been unable to catch a break with Edman this year.

Edman tried to come back in spring training but was shut down four times due to his wrist injury. He only recently started ramping up activities and he appeared to be close to going out on a rehab assignment.

Unfortunately, the plan has now been backtracked and there is no timetable on Edman's ankle. He appeared to be on track to return sometime in early July, but he may be out a little while longer as he recovers from his recent ankle injury.

This is the last thing the Cardinals needed. While Michael Siani has performed well defensively, he doesn't offer much at the plate, and the Cardinals need an offensive boost from that spot, which they were hoping Edman could provide.

Depending on how long this takes, the Cardinals may find themselves diving into the trade market a little sooner and finding a bat capable of playing some center field. Former Cardinal Tommy Pham could be an option as they scour the market. He is currently with the Chicago White Sox.

The Cardinals will certainly hope that this doesn't set Edman back too far. He is a key piece of the puzzle, and his absence has been noticeable.