Yadier Molina Injury: Catcher Will Return To Lineup Thursday

The St. Louis Cardinals lost a big part of their team on Tuesday night when Yadier Molina was bowled over by Josh Harrison of the Pittsburgh Pirates in a collision at home plate that saw the Cards' longtime starting catcher taken off the field injured. He was subsequently listed as day-to-day, and sat out St. Louis' series finale against the Pirates.

Now the Cardinals' lineup has been released for Thursday night's game against the Washington Nationals, with Molina batting fifth. He will try to help boost a Cards offense that struggled against the Pirates, scoring only four runs in the teams' three-game set. It's not yet clear if Molina will be back for good after being slotted in for Thursday night's series opener with the Nats.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT.

Be sure to head over to Viva El Birdos for more Cardinals coverage, and check out Federal Baseball for more on the Nationals. Visit Baseball Nation for even more news and analysis from around the league.

Bryan Anderson: Know Your St. Louis Cardinals Call-Up

Yadier Molina Injury: Collision Leaves St. Louis Cardinals Very Thin At Catcher

The St. Louis Cardinals were optimistic that Yadier Molina's injuries weren't as bad as they looked following the home-plate collision that knocked him out of their ugly loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday, and it's a good thing—they don't have much backing up their MVP-caliber catcher. Day-to-day they can do—Tony Cruz and Bryan Anderson, due up from Memphis, might be a little better than replacement level. Any more than that, though, and—get well soon.

Cruz has walked all of two times in 2012—that says a lot about how healthy and hardy Yadier Molina has been, but it also says a lot about Cruz's offense, which is best described as backup-catchery. Bryan Anderson, his left-handed opposite number, was supposed to be the antidote, but after just missing the backup job out of spring training he's put up the worst numbers of his career in AAA Memphis. (He's joining the team Wednesday, if you drew the same conclusions I did from this Joe Strauss tweet.)

That sounds like two backup catchers who might, if everything breaks right, form a platoon somewhere just north of replacement level. If the Cardinals are going to be without Yadier Molina for more than 15 days it might be time to ask him what Bengie's doing.

Yadier Molina Injury: St. Louis Cardinals Report Catcher "Day To Day" After Ugly Collision

At the thought of a Yadier Molina injury, most St. Louis Cardinals fans' baseball lives flash rapidly before their eyes. Tuesday night, though, they'll probably have a more specific image in their head: The ugly, unnecessary collision at home plate that occurred in the second inning of the Cardinals' loss to the Pirates, when he found himself barreled over by an elbows-up Josh Harrison. It couldn't have looked more like a concussion, and Mike Matheny more than anybody else must have been worried, but the Cardinals' Twitter announced in midgame that he was day-to-day with an even more hyphenated upper-back-left-shoulder-neck-strain.

Well, that's about everything but a concussion, so inasmuch as anybody could be lucky in this kind of situation Molina and the Cardinals appear to have dodged a bullet. Tony Cruz would start if Molina is forced to miss any time; if he's sent to the disabled list the Cardinals would call on offense-first minor leaguers Bryan Anderson or Steven Hill—or, once rosters expand, both.

For more updates on Yadier Molina's condition and the Cardinals' catching situation, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis or subscribe to this storystream on Facebook by clicking like.

Cardinals Vs. Pirates: Yadier Molina Removed From Game After Collision

The St. Louis Cardinals have suffered an early setback in their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday as catcher Yadier Molina has been forced out of the game with an apparent injury after a collision at the plate. In the third inning, Molina saved a run as he stuffed Josh Harrison at the plate, but Harrison's left shoulder appeared to hit Molina in the temple.

After a short time being checked by trainers, Molina was removed from the field of play. Tony Cruz has taken over the catching duties for the Cardinals with Molina out. Video of the incident is already up on MLB.com.

No word has been released on the extent of the injury that Molina suffered during the collision, more news will most likely be released by the team after the game ends. Currently, Pittsburgh has taken a 3-0 over the Cards heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

Be sure to head over to Viva El Birdos for more Cardinals coverage, and check out Bucs Dugout for more on the Pirates. Also visit Baseball Nation for even more news and analysis from around the league.