A Spring Defined by Missed Opportunities

The Cardinal Chronicle
Trainer’s Table
A Spring Defined by Setbacks, Setups, and Players Stuck in Neutral
St. Louis, MO — By Ray Mileur

JUPITER, Fla. — Spring training is supposed to be the season of fresh starts and clean slates. Instead, the Cardinals’ Trainer’s Table has become one of the busiest places in camp.

Some of the issues are minor. Some are simply delays. But taken together, they’ve quietly shaped the rhythm of the spring. Every absence opens another opportunity, and this March the roster movement has been driven as much by who isn’t on the field as by who is.

 
Iván Herrera — Knee Inflammation
Herrera has now missed seven straight games with inflammation in his knee. The expectation remains that he will return as a designated hitter first, easing his way back into action before resuming catching duties.

The challenge is the calendar. The Cardinals want him to log defensive innings before camp ends, but the window to do that is narrowing.

Impact

• Delays his defensive progression behind the plate
• Creates additional opportunities for Pedro Pagés and other depth catchers
• Forces the staff to evaluate early-season catching depth if Herrera’s ramp-up lags

 
Lars Nootbaar — Waiting Without a Timetable
Nootbaar continues working his way back from offseason heel procedures. He has resumed agility work, but he has not yet been cleared for full baseball activity, and the club has offered no timetable for his return.

For a lineup that counts on his on-base skills and clubhouse energy, the uncertainty itself has become part of the storyline.

Impact

• Left field remains unsettled
• Provides additional runway for Victor Scott II, Colton Ledbetter, and Alec Burleson
• Could require roster creativity early in the season

 
Hunter Dobbins — Rain Delay, Not a Roadblock
Dobbins’ scheduled minor-league start was washed out by rain Friday, but he is expected to take the mound this weekend.

Earlier knee discomfort slowed his buildup slightly, yet the organization continues to view him as a promising arm moving up the system.

Impact

• Delays evaluation of a rising pitching prospect
• Opens innings for fringe MLB arms competing for attention

 
Cooper Hjerpe — Elbow Tightness
Hjerpe was optioned to Triple-A while dealing with elbow discomfort. The issue is not believed to be serious, but it represents another pause in a development path that has already seen interruptions.

Impact

• Removes a potential depth starter from early-season consideration
• Delays the club’s ability to see him stretched out over multiple innings

 
Zack Thompson — Shoulder Issues
Thompson was reassigned to minor-league camp due to shoulder concerns. For a pitcher who has moved between starting and relief roles, the setback complicates his path back to the big-league bullpen.

Impact

• Thins the organization’s left-handed relief depth
• Increases the importance of JoJo Romero staying healthy and available

 
Tekoah Roby — Elbow Concerns
Roby was optioned to Triple-A while dealing with elbow discomfort. He is expected to miss the 2026 season. The Cardinals remain high on his upside, but this spring represented an opportunity to show he could contribute sooner rather than later. Now it will be later.

Impact

• Removes a high-upside arm from the early-season pitching mix
• Delays his push toward a rotation or swingman role

 
Brandon Clarke — A Long Road Back
Clarke continues recovering from a January procedure to repair an arm aneurysm. The organization does not expect him to return to game action until June.

Impact

• Removes a depth arm from the early-season pipeline
• Affects rotation planning at the Double-A and Triple-A levels

 
Ixan Henderson — Flexor Strain
Henderson has been shut down from throwing due to a left flexor strain.

Impact

• Eliminates another depth arm from the early pitching picture
• Adds pressure to the lower-level pitching pipeline

 
A Camp Shaped by Absences

The Cardinals are not in crisis mode. Not even close.But inj ries have quietly changed the storylines in Jupiter.

In a spring where competition is real and jobs are being earned, sometimes the biggest story in camp isn’t who’s playing.

It’s who’s waiting to get back on the field.