MESA, Ariz. — Back in the Phoenix area, where his bid to be the Cardinals' opening day center fielder truly began, Dylan Carlson was knocked abruptly from the game after a collision with teammate Jordan Walker.
In the bottom of the second inning, Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner sent a fly ball into the right-center gap, right into the seam that is a running, lunging, or even diving catch for either of the outfielders. Walker dove for the ball and as he landed, he crashed into Carlson's right leg.
The Cardinals' center field was spun in the air.
He reached down with his left hand to brace himself and was hesitant to put much weight on the left hand, wrist, or shoulder when he got up from the warning track. Walker drove into Carlson's right ankle, which was not the one surgically repaired at the end of this past season.
Carlson left the game and was taken off the field by a trainer.
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The initial diagnosis is an injury to his left shoulder, per team official. Carlson was undergoing a series of exams at a medical facility away from the ballpark after the game, and the Cardinals did not expect to have any final determination before Tuesday.
They will line up possible roster moves Monday evening.
Hoerner was credited with a triple. Walker remained in the game.
After the game Walker described his view of the play.
"Either he called me and I didn't hear it, or we didn't call each other off at all," Walker said. "What we've been taught is center fielder — once he calls you off, you stop. But until then you're giving 100% effort. So that's exactly what I was doing. I was giving 100% effort for it. If he called me off, I'm sorry if I didn't hear him. ... I feel really bad for just running into him."
Carlson moved to the Phoenix area for this past offseason so that he could rehab from left ankle and also work at hitting facilities in this area, including Driveline's Arizona location. A switch-hitter, Carlson wanted to unlock his power from the left side. He called it swinging with more "intent," and over the final two weeks of camp he asserted that production at the plate.
His three home runs this spring led the team.
Carlson won the center field job with Tommy Edman (wrist surgery) on the injured list to start the season and for the foreseeable future. Edman has yet to be cleared for swings and remains back in Jupiter, Florida, at the team's player development complex.
In the game, the Cardinals rallied multiple times before overtaking the Cubs with a three-run seventh inning on the way to a 6-3 victory at Sloan Park.
Always one to play to the crowd when it comes to the Cubs, their former catcher, Willson Contreras, chewed the scenery as he rounded the bases for his first home run of spring training. Contreras' two-run blast in the sixth inning tied the game, 3-3.
Walker and Masyn Winn got the seventh inning started with back-to-back hits and then the replacements off the Cardinals bench cobbled together the go-ahead rally in the top of the seventh inning. Pedro Pages had an RBI double that started the Cardinals' decisive rally.
The Cardinals' bullpen made the rally possible with 4 2/3 scoreless innings. As a group, four relievers allowed one hit and struck out two. Ryan Fernandez entered in the middle of an inning with runners on base and was able to slip out of the jam and through the next inning as well for 1 2/3 scoreless.
Two of the Cubs' runs came on solo homers by Seiya Suzuki. The outfielder has six home runs this spring, one fewer than the Cardinals' starting lineup had combined going into Monday's game.
From earlier ...
Cardinals have one spot on roster to decide during quick stop in desert to face Cubs
During their desert stopover on the way to Los Angeles, the Cardinals have one more bit of business to determine.
The lost spot on the roster is the last spot in the bullpen, and by the time the Cardinals leave Arizona for California they'll have made a decision on their 26-man roster. Lefty John King remains in play for the spot despite not traveling with the team for its two-day visit to face the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park. King, who has been ill for several days, will face hitters back in Florida on Sunday.
His health, his effectiveness, and the upcoming matchups against the Dodgers and Padres will be a factor in the decision.
Cardinals 2024 season preview: Will they reclaim their status as contenders?
The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Cardinals season begins on March 28 with a game at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Post-Dispatch beat writers and columnists take a look at the 2024 season.
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This look at the Cardinals players, by position, covers the best-laid plans, and where things can go awry.
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The Cardinals typically stellar defense took a step backward in 2023. Improving that side of things was a focus this winter and spring.
Nolan Gorman, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Willson Contreras and Jordan Walker. Calling it now — each of these players will hit 20 or more home runs.
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They will join returnees Al Hrabosky, Ricky Horton, Brad Thompson and Jim Edmonds in the rotation of Bally Sports Midwest studio commentators.
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Here's a look at the 2024 Dispatch Dozen, the Post-Dispatch's ranking of the top 12 Cardinals prospects.
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The Cardinals must also make a call on Rule 5 pick Ryan Fernandez or offer back through waivers to other teams before then Boston, and Boston alone, has the choice to keep him and put him in the minors. Fernandez and right-hander Riley O'Brien are scheduled to pitch in the opener of the two-game series against the Cubs. O'Brien has had a strong camp and appears poised to be one of the right-handers in the bullpen to start the year.
Lefties JoJo Romero and Matthew Liberatore have already been told they're on the team for opening day.
King would be a third lefty in the mix.
On the position player side, Brandon Crawford participated in batting practice Monday and, if he does not have any returning pain in his hand, he will start the exhibition finale Tuesday against the Cubs.
If it seems unusual for the Cardinals to appear in Arizona, it is.
They have not played an exhibition game outside of Florida during spring training since 2019 when they traveled to Class AAA Memphis' ballpark for an in-the-family exhibition. The Cardinals have not a series like this outside of Florida since going to Montreal to play Toronto in 2018. It's been even longer since the Cardinals had a spring training game out west — think 2001, when they brought along Albert Pujols to Oakland and Seattle before he made his major-league debut at Coors Field.
And as far as facing the rival Cubs in spring training ...
Going back to 1993, the Cardinals have never played the Cubs in spring training or any spring game in the state of Arizona, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The Cardinals' media relations staff goes back to 1986 and did not have any games against the Cubs or in Arizona.
Here are the lineups that will start this series that is so notable they made a souvenir ball to sell to faces with both teams logos on it and the Cactus League 24 emblem:
CARDINALS
1. Brendan Donovan, 2B
2. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
3. Nolan Gorman, 2B
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Willson Contreras, C
6. Dylan Carlson, CF
7. Ivan Herrera, DH
8. Jordan Walker, RF
9. Masyn Wnn, SS
Starting pitcher: Steven Matz, LHP. Other pitchers on the list to pitch, but keep in mind the bullpen will outfitted with anyone on the trip: RHP Andrew Kittredge, RHP Riley O'Brien, LHP Matthew Liberatore, LHP JoJo Romero, RHP Ryan Fernandez.
CUBS
1. Ian Happ, LF
2. Seiya Suzuki, RF
3. Cody Bellinger, CF
4. Christopher Morel, 3B
5. Dansby Swanson, SS
6. Nico Hoerner, 2B
7. Michael Busch, 1B
8. Yan Gomes, C
9. Mike Tauchman, DH
Starting pitcher: Jordan Wicks, LHP.
Check back this afternoon for immediate coverage of the game, any news, and necessary analysis from the Cardinals-Cubs meeting in the Cactus League.
The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Cardinals season begins on March 28 with a game at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Post-Dispatch beat writers and columnists take a…