Lance Berkman Injury: The St. Louis Cardinals' 1B Returns To The DL

The St. Louis Cardinals will have to deal with a DL-worthy Lance Berkman injury for the third time this season, after his surgically repaired right knee slowed him down again as the first week of August drew to a close. Berkman was replaced on the 25-man roster by Shane Robinson, who started in center field on Friday; he'll be replaced in the lineup by Allen Craig and Matt Carpenter.

Berkman's had a rough follow-up to his comeback season in 2011; a year after setting a new career high in OPS+ as a 35-year-old he's played in just 28 games, hitting .267/.389/.467 with two home runs and seven RBI. Luckily for the Cardinals, Matt Carpenter's excelled as Berkman and Craig's injury replacements, bouncing around first base, third base, and the outfield while hitting .291/.365/.477.

Robinson hit .256/.304/.344 in 64 games as the Cardinals' fifth outfielder earlier in the season; it's his first extended tour in the major leagues after brief cups of coffee. Berkman, for his part, told Rick Hummel he expects to be back again in August, hopefully for good.