SB Nation St. Louis - Rafael Furcal Injury: St. Louis Cardinals Infielder Likely Won't Play Sunday

Rafael Furcal injury: St. Louis Cardinals GM doubts he'll return in postseason

2012-09-26T13:54:57Z

St. Louis Cardinal's general manager John Mozeliak doesn't believe that Rafael Furcal will return to the Cardinals in 2012. When asked on Tuesday about the possibility of a return from the injured shortstop, Mozeliak responded with the following (via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch):

The clock's not on our side.

Furcal originally injured the elbow making a throw to first base on Aug. 30. He was diagnosed with a Grade II ligament sprain, and the Cardinals hope that rest and rehab will allow the damaged elbow to heal on its own. The other option available is a surgery that will see Furcal out of action for the next six to eight months. That timetable would see the shortstop miss the start of the 2013 season.

Furcal has played 121 games for St. Louis this year, batting .264 with five homeruns and a dozen stolen bases. He's in the first season of a two-year deal he signed this past winter, and he's due to be paid $7 million by the Cards in 2013 before hitting the free agent market again.

Rafael Furcal Injury Update: Cardinals SS Officially Out For Season With Strained UCL

2012-09-01T19:25:05Z

The St. Louis Cardinals have confirmed shortstop Rafael Furcal will miss the rest of the season with a Grade 2 strain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Rather than immediately opting for surgery, Furcal will initially attempt a 4-to-6-week rehabilitation process.

News of Furcal's injury was originally reported on Friday, although confirmation of the diagnosis didn't come until the MRI results were revealed on Saturday. Furcal hit .264/.325/.346 in 531 plate appearances before the injury. However, after posting .333/.391/.460 line through May, he has struggled mightily over the past three months, hitting .215/.278/.265 in that timeframe.

The Cards, who are firmly entrenched in the NL Wildcard race, called up Pete Kozma on Friday to replace Furcal, and Daniel Descalso should see some playing time at shortstop as well. St. Louis resumes their series on Saturday vs. the Washington Nationals at 3:05 p.m. CT in Washington, D.C.

For more on the Cardinals, be sure to visit Viva El Birdos. And, for additional MLB coverage, head over to Baseball Nation.

Rafael Furcal Injury Leaves The St. Louis Cardinals With Limited Options At Shortstop

2012-09-01T14:01:03Z

Rafael Furcal Injury Update: Cardinals SS To Meet With Team Doctor On Friday

2012-08-03T15:55:24Z

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal has been out of the lineup since July 27 due to a back injury, and on Friday he will meet with the team doctor to assess the progress he has made in his recovery, according to Jenifer Langosh of MLB.com. Furcal participated in batting and fielding practice prior to every game during the Cardinals' three-game series against the Colorado Rockies, and he was even cleared to play by the medical staff on Thursday, but St. Louis decided to be cautious and hold him out until he met with the team doctor on Friday.

So far in 2012 Furcal has posted a .272/.341/.352 batting line over 96 games and 436 plate appearances.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more in-depth coverage of this series, visit St. Louis Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos and Cubs blog Bleed Cubbie Blue. And for more from around baseball, check out MLB Daily Dish and Baseball Nation.

Rafael Furcal Injury Update: St. Louis Infielder Battling Back Injury

2012-07-28T22:46:48Z

With the St. Louis Cardinals in the midst of an intense playoff race, any injury could have a significant impact. However, one guy that they can't afford to be without for a significant period of time is Rafael Furcal. According to B.J. Rains of Foxsportsmidwest.com, Furcal is battling a back injury that could sideline him:

@BJRains: Matheny confirmed that Furcal is dealing with back tightness and likely wouldn't play tomorrow. Furcal left without speaking to reporters.

Furcal has been steady all season for the Cardinals, hitting .272 and delivering in clutch situations throughout the season. The 34 year old shortstop has appeared in 96 games and driven in 42 runs for St. Louis. In July he appeared in the third All-Star game of his career and the first since 2010.