Cardinals get immediate disappointment after All-Star break with injury news

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Tommy Edman missed the entire first half of the season after undergoing wrist surgery in the offseason. There was originally hope that Edman could return to the majors after the All-Star break, but the outfielder recently suffered a setback during his rehab.

As the Cardinals came out of the All-Star break and resumed their regular season at Truist Park on Friday, manager Oliver Marmol confirmed that Edman may not be ready to return any time soon.

Cardinals manager Marmol said Edman was shut down from rehab activities over the All-Star break because of lingering pain in an ankle he sprained recently, according to MLB.com beat writer John Denton. Edman received a pain-killing and anti-inflammatory injection in his ankle to help with the swelling.

Edman suffered the setback while doing fielding drills and will go at least nine days between games, but the club is hopeful he can play a rehab game on Tuesday.

Cardinals will continue to be without Tommy Edman

Although Edman has not made an appearance in the majors this season, he has played four games with Class AA Springfield during his rehab assignment. He went 2-for-5 with three RBIs on Sunday. He was 4-for-14 (.286) through four games with three runs, four RBIs, two walks, and four strikeouts. He's been able to take swings without soreness in his wrist for several weeks, but he has remained on rehab assignment in an attempt to recreate a spring training schedule.

The Cardinals are hoping that Edman can play multiple positions before he returns to the majors. Although he was originally expected to be the team's center fielder, the plan is for Edman to play shortstop, center, and second base during his rehab assignment. Time at left and right field is also likely.

Edman suffered the wrist injury at some point last offseason. He was expected to be ready for opening day, but the surgery to repair his right wrist ended up being move extensive than anticipated. In 2023, Edman his .248 with a .307 on-base percentage, and his defense made him an incredibly valuable part of the Cardinals' roster.

Edman also won a Gold Glove Award in 2021 as a second baseman.

The Cardinals open the second half of the season with a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. They are currently 4.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central with a 50-46 record. They currently hold a slim one-game lead on the second NL Wild Card spot.