After a season-long slump Albert Pujols has spent most of June reminding opposing pitchers why he's the most feared hitter in baseball, but after his wrist injury Sunday he might spend the rest of it on the bench. The St. Louis Cardinals' slugger was injured on a play at first base when an errant throw led his glove on a collision course with Royals third baseman Wilson Betemit. Pujols left the game immediately, and while early tests were negative for broken bones the Cardinals have been cautious in making any suggestions about the severity of the injury until tests are performed on Monday.
Pujols hit a long home run and scored another run early in the game before leaving, pushing his seasonal numbers to .279/.355/.500 with 17 home runs and 45 RBI. The injury comes in a month in which he's slugging over .700 and looking more like the Albert Pujols the Cardinals expected to have to sign in the offseason than he has all season.
The Cardinals are expected to give a timeframe for Pujols's injury some time after they perform Monday's MRI. While Pujols is gone Lance Berkman is expected to stand in at first base, with Jon Jay getting the bulk of the time in right field.