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

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak is not expecting shortstop Rafael Furcal to return to action this season.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.