Molina to catch first part of Cardinals game Wednesday
JUPITER, Fla. -- St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was set to make his spring training debut behind the plate Wednesday, with defensive limitations in place.
The seven-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner was coming off two thumb operations and was to be wearing a splint. He is not ready to hit and was ninth in the batting order against the Miami Marlins. St. Louis planned to replace him with a pinch hitter after a couple innings.
Manager Mike Matheny said this was the target date given by medical staff for the 33-year-old to play for the first time.
"If he's tentative, we wouldn't have him out there," Matheny said. "He needs to just do what he does and not really be concerned."
Matheny said Molina has looked good swinging off a tee and with soft toss and might bat during a game in a week. Matheny said Molina's hand strength was close to its pre-injury level.
"I know he's just anxious," Matheny said. "You kind of have to have that carrot out there for all of these guys to give them just a little bit more, and he's done all he needs to."
St. Louis acquired free agent Brayan Pena in the offseason. He is expected to play more than the previous backup, Tony Cruz.
Molina hit .270 with four homers and 61 RBIs last year. Pena played in 108 games for the Reds and batted .273 with 18 RBIs.
Molina injured his left thumb making a sweeping tag on the Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo on Sept. 20. He underwent operations in October and mid-December.
"Yadi did that play perfectly, and the slide wasn't a dirty slide," Matheny said. "He just got himself in a compromising position."
Matheny said wear and tear caused Molina to get hurt.
"That injury is due to thousands of innings caught," said Matheny, a former Gold Glove catcher. "You take guys who've caught for a long time, it's volatile."
Matt Holliday was playing first base for the second time this spring training. The first experience on Monday was uneventful.
"We've done everything you could possibly do in our workouts," Matheny said. "It's the next level, just watching how he responds, watching what doesn't feel comfortable and what we need to work on some more."
St. Louis has several first-base candidates in camp, including Brandon Moss, Matt Adams and Stephen Piscotty. Holliday has played only left field throughout his big-league career.
"It's been a conversation for a long time," Matheny said. "The answer is the same. Just wait and see."
