(Busch Stadium) The St. Louis Cardinals officially activated Aledmys Diaz from the disabled list on Sunday, but when he resumes the duties of starting at shortstop may not be right away.
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“I talked with Mike today and it might take a couple of days to be in the lineup again to play everyday,” shared Diaz. “Maybe just pinch-hit or with the running, but for me it’s great to be here right now.”
Out since July 31st when he suffered a right thumb fracture while batting against the Miami Marlins, Diaz appeared in five minor league games during a rehab assignment which concluded yesterday.
“It’s feeling pretty normal,” said Diaz. “The last couple games in Double-A and the playoffs, feeling pretty good. I’m ready to come here and help my team.”
Selected to the All-Star team this season as a rookie, Diaz was batting .312 with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs in 96 games at the time of his injury.
“It’s tough to get my strength back after the fracture, but I think just working everyday in the gym with trainers and hopefully, maybe in a week it will feel like it did before. But right now, I feel my strength is good enough to play.”
Even more so than his grip strength at the plate, Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny shared recently that Diaz had been worried about how his play would be affected defensively.
“That was my big concern,” agreed Diaz. “After I took the splint off, I realized that gripping the ball was tough. But after two weeks working with the trainer here and then going down there to play, I feel pretty normal right now.”
The play has been so comfortable, that Diaz is once again able to react rather than think about how to make each play.
“Yeah, the first couple days was tough but now I just react,” he said. “Feeling pretty normal.”
photo credit: Bill Greenblatt/UPI, Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
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