After missing the last five games with lower back stiffness, St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong is expected to be ready for tonight’s game.
“One more day is going to be probably what I need,” said Wong after going through extensive pregame activities before yesterday’s game. “Felt a little tightness, but I think precautionary they just wanted me to take one more day off. At this point, tightness is kind of part of the game.”
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Although not used, Wong was available to pinch-hit in last night’s victory. He still can’t explain why the issue arose, but it reached a point where he couldn’t even bend over to put on his socks.
“It came out of nowhere, honestly,” said Wong. “I didn’t have any tightness coming up to that injury. I went to cut-off a ball, caught the ball and tried to stop while I was catching it and the back just gave out.”
Wong left the Cardinals road trip early to return to St. Louis for treatment on his back–the issue centered in the lower lumbar area between where the spine joins the hips. No MRI or x-rays were taken, he was prescribed a Dose Pack (Methylprednisolone) to combat the inflammation.
“It was just one of those thing,” continued Wong. “It was freakish just because it happened out of nowhere. It was something I didn’t feel coming up, nothing was tight kind of showing me signs of it tightening up. It’s an injury you just have to take your time, make sure it heals, and get back to it.”
Wong had the 9th best batting average (.347, 35-101) in the National League for the month of August.
photo credit: Bill Greenblatt/UPI
