Nolan Arenado’s heroics helped seal a win for the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday — but it surely practically knocked the wind out of him. Actually. Within the ninth inning of the Cardinals’ 4-3 win over the Diamondbacks, Arenado chased a foul pop-up off the bat of Ketel Marte and made a full-speed, tumbling catch into the netting close to the third-base seats at Busch Stadium. It was a second straight from a spotlight reel — however as an alternative of celebrating, Arenado was left on the bottom, face down in ache and clutching his aspect.
“It was fairly dangerous, and I used to be having hassle respiratory there for a short time, in order that was fairly powerful,” Arenado stated postgame. “I’ve by no means actually felt that [kind of pain] earlier than, and that was powerful. However [the pain] went away, thank God.”
Arenado revealed he took a blow to his left kidney space through the fall and briefly misplaced his breath. Regardless of the scare, he stayed within the recreation, receiving therapy postgame and icing the affected space. “I misplaced my breath for a few minute,” he stated. “As soon as I obtained it again, I felt like I used to be OK. You already know, I’m nonetheless a bit bit sore.”
Nolan Arenado is feeling the ache after making the play of the 12 months for the Cardinals
The play preserved a crucial out with runners on and saved the Cardinals in management late. One batter later, reliever Phil Maton struck out Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to finish the sport and full the Cardinals’ sweep of Arizona — their fourth sweep of the season.
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“With out him exhibiting, sacrificing and doing what he’s doing, I don’t know that we’re the place we’re,” stated veteran pitcher Sonny Grey.
Regardless of struggling on the plate this 12 months, Arenado’s protection stays elite. He went 0-for-4 on Sunday and remains to be looking for consistency offensively, however his glove continues to talk volumes. He additionally delivered a game-winning triple on Friday and made one other diving cease on Saturday. The weekend sequence was a reminder of why Arenado is taken into account one of many best defensive third basemen in MLB historical past.
“He’s undoubtedly a Corridor of Famer,” supervisor Oliver Marmol stated. “Among the best third basemen to ever play the sport — and he continues to indicate that.”
With 10 Gold Gloves and eight All-Star appearances, Arenado’s trophy case is already full, however he made it clear a possible eleventh Gold Glove would imply much more. “That might imply rather a lot and I might like to win it once more,” Arenado stated. “It will most likely be essentially the most particular one if I can get that [Gold Glove] again once more.”
The Cardinals, now 28-23, have received 16 of their final 20 video games and sit simply behind the Cubs within the NL Central. In the event that they proceed this surge, commerce hypothesis surrounding Arenado may shortly flip into postseason push buzz.