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The St. Louis Cardinals have reportedly avoided an Opening Day disaster after initial tests revealed no major damage to Willson Contreras' knee. Contreras left the game after taking a hard pitch to the leg. This is a consistent fear and source of pain for catchers, even veterans. Contreras was one of the big acquisitions made by the Cardinals this offseason, so losing him would have been a huge blow.
Nothing can derail a team's season quite like an early injury to a star player. Some teams have the depth and ability to endure such a loss, but they are few and far between. While Contreras may miss a few games from this injury, his long-term status for the year should remain unaffected.
John Denton, a writer for MLB.com, reported the positive development via Twitter.
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Willson Contreras is in the eighth year of his MLB career and is set to be a key player for the St. Louis Cardinals. After being selected to the All-Star team thrice with the Chicago Cubs, he has taken his talents to his former division rivals. The Cardinals expect him to play at an All-Star level, potentially being one of the best catchers in the world.
Avoiding a long-term injury was the best case scenario for Contreras after he left the Opening Day game early. The game against the Toronto Blue Jays may have resulted in a loss, but the fans don't mind that anymore.
The Cardinals won the division in 2022 and are the favorites to repeat as National League Central champions. Doing so without their best offseason addition would have required a Herculean effort. Contreras brings offensive and defensive consistency to a team with a lot to prove.
Willson Contreras might have to miss some playing time, but not nearly as much as some St. Louis Cardinals fans feared.
The St. Louis Cardinals are a dark horse candidate to win the National League in 2023
The New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and more have taken the spotlight in the NL, but don't count out the Cardinals. They have a great mix of young talent and experienced players who know what it takes to win it all. Being the unheralded team of the conference allows for the team to play loose and without the burden of expectations.
If the St. Louis Cardinals get hot at the end of the season, they could easily end the playoff hopes of an unexpecting competitor.
