Albert Pujols's four-to-six week stint on the disabled list following an injury sustained in a collision at first base has faced down Pujols in mortal combat and lost, possibly because the St. Louis Cardinals' famously mechanical first baseman is not a mortal. A day after being activated from the DL Pujols is expected to start in Wednesday night's game against the Cincinnati Reds, with Bronson Arroyo the lucky recipient of Pujols's return up to a month ahead of schedule.
Pujols was on his hottest streak of the year when the injury occurred; he had homered earlier that day and finished his abbreviated month of June with eight home runs in 63 at-bats. Wrist injuries are always terrifying for hitters, but Pujols has been subjected to and passed a series of diagnostics and burn-ins—sorry, I mean human physical examinations—and passed all of them, even the Turing Test.
With Pujols back in the lineup the Cardinals will shift All-Star starter Lance Berkman back to the outfield, leaving less playing time for third-and-a-half outfielder Jon Jay.