Marmol says test results ‘came back clean,’ but 24-year-old still bound for IL
BOSTON – The Cardinals endured a tough doubleheader loss on Sunday, dropping Game 1 in heartbreaking fashion, 5–4 in 10 innings, as All-Star closer Ryan Helsley struggled with command. Things only got worse in the nightcap, with St. Louis getting overwhelmed in an 18–7 rout fueled by a relentless Red Sox offense.
But the most significant blow of the day came not on the scoreboard, but on the injury front.
Catcher Iván Herrera, who had made franchise history just days earlier by becoming the first Cardinals catcher to hit three home runs in a single game, exited Game 1 in the third inning with an apparent left knee injury. The injury occurred when Herrera’s knee buckled as he made a quick move off third base on a foul pop. He needed assistance from trainers to make it back to the dugout.
Herrera left Fenway Park for further evaluation but was reportedly moving around the clubhouse later that evening. Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak shared that early signs were encouraging, and the team believes Herrera may have avoided a serious injury. He’s officially been diagnosed with knee irritation and is expected to be placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday.
To fill Iván Herrera’s spot on the roster, the Cardinals will call up 27-year-old catcher Yohel Pozo, who will join the team in Pittsburgh. Pozo, signed to a minor league deal this past offseason, last played in the majors with the Texas Rangers in 2021.
“It sucks to see Iván go down like that because he’s been hitting so well, and hopefully he’ll be able to recover and be back for us pretty soon—maybe even [Monday] … you never know,” said Cardinals starter Andre Pallante, who worked closely with Herrera during the early innings of Game 1. “He was hitting the ball so well, and you just hate to see him lose that [momentum] because of an injury.”
The injury comes at a time when the 24-year-old Panamanian catcher was breaking out as a major offensive force. His four home runs and 11 RBIs entering Sunday were among the top marks in the National League, and his league-leading 1.555 OPS had him at the center of the Cardinals’ offensive surge. Since the start of the 2024 season, Herrera leads all catchers with at least 200 plate appearances in both slugging percentage (.482) and wRC+ (143).
“He’s been impressive, and if you look at his at-bats, it doesn’t matter who’s on the mound—he’s still putting together professional at-bats,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “He’s staying on the ball really well. If you look at the homer he hit to right field at Fenway [on Friday], and then a couple he pulled at home, he’s using the whole field. Overall, it’s been a really impressive start.”
Later Sunday night, as the Cardinals endured an 18–7 blowout in Game 2, Marmol shared with ESPN that the team had received encouraging news about Herrera’s condition.
“Everything came back clean, which is good,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of Iván Herrera’s knee injury. “It could have been a lot worse. So, he’ll miss some time, but we’re definitely not looking at anything serious. He’ll go on the IL, but it could have been a bad situation.”
The silver lining for St. Louis is the emergence of Pedro Pagés, who has shown he’s ready to step up in Herrera’s absence. Pagés has made the most of his opportunities at the big league level, and he delivered again in Game 1 on Sunday—doubling twice and tying his career high with three RBIs. His poised performance at the plate, along with his strong defensive reputation, puts the Cardinals in a solid position to weather Herrera’s temporary absence.
Just over a year ago, Pedro Pagés made his big league debut after taking an Uber to the stadium—his flight from Indianapolis to St. Louis was delayed, and he didn’t want to miss the game. In his second stint with the Cardinals, prompted by an arm injury to Willson Contreras, Pagés seized another memorable moment when he homered against the Cubs on Father’s Day with his dad watching from behind home plate.
On Sunday in Game 1, Pagés delivered again in clutch fashion. In the sixth inning, he dropped an 0-2 pitch into right field for a game-tying double. Two innings later, he turned on a 95.4 mph inside fastball and launched it off Fenway Park’s iconic Green Monster. The 383-foot blast came off the bat at 103.6 mph, according to Statcast.
“[Pagés] is a guy who takes pride in that [preparation], and even when he’s not catching, he’s prepared for the lineup and watches closely,” manager Oliver Marmol said.
Pagés’ contributions helped the Cardinals take a 4–2 lead into the ninth inning of the opener, but the advantage slipped away when closer Ryan Helsley issued four walks and allowed two earned runs for his first blown save of the season. Last year, Helsley was nearly automatic, setting a franchise record with 49 saves in just 53 opportunities.
