Yadier Molina
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2014Cougars13553346146754901131810020.2740.3140.428
2015Cougars96361276713170316660010.1860.2240.258
2016Cougars1324813711142261529790010.2310.2760.320
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2022Cougars108384278937150726810000.2320.2910.326
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MLB Player Data
DateNewsComment
Nov 1 2022Molina officially retired from baseball Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After a 2022 season in which he recorded a career-low .535 OPS, Molina will officially close the book on an outstanding career. Over his 19 years in the big leagues, Molina appeared in 10 All-Star games, took home nine Gold Glove awards and a Silver Slugger award.
Oct 5 2022Molina isn't starting Wednesday against the Pirates, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has gone 0-for-7 with an RBI and two strikeouts over his last three games, and he'll be on the bench for a third consecutive matchup to finish the regular season. Andrew Knizner is starting behind the dish and batting eighth.
Oct 3 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll take a seat for the series opener in Pittsburgh after catching in each of the Cardinals' three games over the weekend with the Pirates while going 0-for-7. Andrew Knizner will check in for Molina behind the plate.
Sep 28 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Even though he didn't play in Tuesday's 6-2 win, Molina will remain on the bench for a second day in a row while the Cardinals withhold several key veterans from the lineup in the team's first game since clinching the National League Central crown. Molina should take back primary duties behind the dish during the Cardinals' upcoming playoff run, but he could occupy the smaller side of a timeshare at catcher with Andrew Knizner while St. Louis has little at stake over the final week of the regular season.
Sep 27 2022Molina isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Milwaukee, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina had previously missed a handful of games due to soreness, but he was able to rejoin the lineup Sunday against the Dodgers. He will now miss another game, affording Andrew Knizner another turn behind the dish.
Sep 25 2022Molina (soreness) is starting behind the plate and batting eighth Sunday against the Dodgers, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina hasn't seen the field since Tuesday due to some general soreness, but he'll return to the lineup for Sunday's series finale in Los Angeles. The 40-year-old has a .304/.333/.565 slash line with three home runs, three doubles, 10 RBI and seven runs through 13 games in September.
Sep 24 2022Molina (soreness) remains out of the lineup Saturday against the Dodgers, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Previous reports indicated that Molina would return no later than Sunday, but it's now apparent that he'll return no earlier than Sunday, either. He is still expected to catch for Adam Wainwright in Sunday's series finale, however.
Sep 23 2022Molina is dealing with general soreness but is expected to return no later than Sunday, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina is on the bench for the third straight game Friday against the Dodgers. While his absence does appear to be injury-related, he may not be dealing with anything other than the general wear-and-tear that comes with catching at any age, let alone age 40.
Sep 22 2022Molina isn't starting Thursday against the Padres, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has had more days off in recent weeks, and he'll head to the bench for the fourth time in the last seven games. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Sep 21 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina started the past two games and will take a seat for Wednesday's contest. Andrew Knizner will step in behind the plate and bat eighth.
Sep 18 2022Molina went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's win over the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina tallied a two-run homer off lefty starter Mike Minor with one out in the third inning to increase the Cardinals' lead to five during game one of the doubleheader. The 40-year-old veteran is coming off a tough 1-for-15 slump in his previous four games but has been great overall in his last 12 with a .918 OPS over 47 plate appearances. In addition, the catcher has recorded 10 RBI in 37 at-bats during his last 10 games.
Sep 17 2022Molina isn't starting the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was productive during Saturday's matinee, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and two total runs during the 5-1 win. Andrew Knizner will take his place behind the dish and bat ninth for Game 2.
Sep 16 2022Molina isn't in the lineup Friday against the Reds, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina started the last five games and went 2-for-18 with an RBI and two strikeouts. Andrew Knizner will take over behind the dish and bat ninth Friday.
Sep 9 2022Molina will sit Friday against the Pirates, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will take a seat after he launched two homers Thursday versus the Nationals, driving in three runs. Andrew Knizner will draw the start at catcher and bat eighth in the series opener.
Sep 8 2022Molina went 2-for-4 with two homers, three RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's loss against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina led the offense for the Cardinals on Thursday, mashing two home runs on the day, the first to put St. Louis on top 3-1, and the second to tie the game at 4-4. The veteran catcher has been on a tear recently, now with four multi-hit games in his last six. He has racked up seven RBI and five runs scored in that span as he looks to finish his Hall of Fame career with a bang.
Sep 6 2022Molina is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has been in a bit of a groove, going 5-for-10 with a couple doubles over the last three games he started, but he will sit Tuesday for the second time in three days. Andrew Knizner will get the start behind the plate.
Sep 4 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After four consecutive starts behind the plate, Molina will get a breather while the Cardinals wrap up their series with the Cubs with a day game after a night game. Andrew Knizner checks in behind the plate for Molina, catching for starting pitcher Miles Mikolas.
Sep 3 2022Molina went 2-for-4 with a double, a run, three RBI and a stolen base in an 8-4 win against the Cubs on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina singled in the second inning and doubled home three runs, stole third and scored in the third to tally his second-straight two-hit game. The uptick follows a recent seven-game hitless stretch that encompassed 20 at-bats, though the 40-year-old is now 4-for-7 with a walk and a double in two September contests. Molina is slashing .212/.234/.274 with two home runs, two steals, 15 runs and 15 RBI in 64 games.
Aug 29 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Since returning from a two-day stint on the restricted list one week ago, Molina has gone cold at the dish, falling into an 0-for-17 slump over his past five starts. Andrew Knizner, who sports an .842 OPS since the All-Star break, will replace Molina behind the plate Monday and is making a case for becoming part of a true timeshare at catcher with the 10-time All-Star.
Aug 27 2022Molina will be on the bench Saturday against Atlanta, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has gone 0-for-14 at the plate over his last four games, though he's struck out just once. He and Andrew Knizner have now alternated starts behind the plate for the last six games.
Aug 25 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will take a seat for the day game after a night game, allowing Andrew Knizner to pick up a turn behind the dish. Since returning earlier this month following a stint on the injured list, Molina has slashed .200/.241/.200 across 17 games.
Aug 22 2022Molina (personal) was activated from the restricted list Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina landed on the restricted list Saturday to handle personal matters in Puerto Rico, but he'll be available for the Cardinals' series against the Cubs to begin the week. The 40-year-old will reclaim his role as the Cardinals' primary catcher starting with Monday's game in Chicago, while Ivan Herrera was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Monday.
Aug 20 2022Molina was placed on the restricted list Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Per Katie Woo of The Athletic, Molina is away handling personal matters in Puerto Rico, but he is expected to return to start Monday at Wrigley Field. Ivan Herrera was recalled to provide depth behind the plate the rest of the weekend.
Aug 19 2022Molina went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Friday's 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina moved into fifth place on the all-time list for hits by a primary catcher. The solid performance Friday has him hitting .250 (11-for-44) in August, though he's added just two RBI and two runs scored through those 14 contests. The 40-year-old backstop has a .222/.243/.283 slash line with two home runs, 12 RBI, 11 runs scored, one stolen base and five doubles through 185 plate appearances this year.
Aug 17 2022Molina isn't starting Wednesday against the Rockies, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina is out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games after he went 1-for-3 during Tuesday's win over Colorado. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Aug 14 2022Molina is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers, according to John Denton of MLB.com. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has played regularly since being activated from the injured list earlier this month, but he will sit Sunday with the Cardinals playing a day game following a night game. Andrew Knizner will take Molina's place behind the plate.
Aug 9 2022Molina is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rockies, according to John Denton of MLB.com. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Cardinals were off Monday, so the veteran will get a bit of an extended breather. Andrew Knizner will get the nod behind the plate in Molina's place.
Aug 4 2022Molina isn't starting the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina went 0-for-4 with a strikeout Tuesday against the Cubs, but he'll get a breather during Thursday's matinee. Andrew Knizner will take over behind the dish and bat eighth.
Aug 2 2022Molina (knee) went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Tuesday's 6-0 win over the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina didn't make an impact with the bat Tuesday, but he helped complete a double play and threw out a potential base-stealer. He hadn't played since mid-June due to the knee injury, though the veteran catcher wasn't hitting all that well early in the season. He's now at a .207/.218/.286 slash line with two home runs, 10 RBI, 10 runs scored and a stolen base through 142 plate appearances, though he should see a larger role than Andrew Knizner going forward.
Jul 30 2022Molina (knee) caught five innings in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Memphis on Saturday and remains on track to be activated Tuesday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was forced to exit an appearance with Memphis on Thursday after being hit by a pitch on his left hand. However, he was back in the lineup Saturday and is expected to play again Sunday. Assuming everything goes according to plan in those appearances, Molina will rejoin the Cardinals for their upcoming series against the Cubs -- he remains on schedule to be activated Tuesday.
Jul 29 2022Molina (knee) won't appear in a rehab game at Triple-A Memphis on Friday after he was hit by a pitch on his left hand Thursday, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina underwent X-rays on his hand that came back negative, but he'll still get a day off Friday. However, the 40-year-old expects to start behind the dish Saturday and Sunday and hopes to rejoin the Cardinals ahead of Tuesday's game against the Cubs.
Jul 28 2022Molina (knee) will make the first appearance of his minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis on Thursday, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In his first game action since June 15, Molina will serve as Memphis' designated hitter. According to Denton, Molina is expected to pick up a start behind the plate for Memphis on Friday, and if all goes well, he could make his return from the 10-day injured list as soon as Tuesday versus the Cubs. Andrew Knizner will move into the No. 2 role at catcher once Molina is reinstated from the IL.
Jul 25 2022Molina (knee) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis on Monday, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has been on the injured list for over a month but has been cleared to return to game action in the minors after he was examined by the team's medical staff Monday. The 40-year-old will participate in cardiovascular and baseball simulated drills over the next few days prior to reporting to Memphis, and the Cardinals hope that he'll be able to return to the active roster Aug. 2.
Jul 12 2022Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Tuesday that Molina (knee) is on track to begin rehabbing in late July and is expected to be ready to return from the injured list in the first week of August, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has been away from the team for a few weeks, and he's expected to remain in his native Puerto Rico through the All-Star break while he continues his recovery. However, if he remains free of setbacks in the next week, he'll report back to the Cardinals following the break and rejoin the active roster shortly thereafter. St. Louis has received poor production from the likes of Andrew Knizner, Austin Romine and Ivan Herrera at catcher while its top backstop has been sidelined.
Jul 8 2022Molina (knee) hasn't yet resumed baseball activities, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina returned to his native Puerto Rico in late June to rehab his right knee and has been feeling better recently, but he isn't yet ready to resume baseball activities. The 39-year-old will require a rehab assignment prior to rejoining the Cardinals, so it seems likely that he'll be sidelined until at least after the All-Star break.
Jun 26 2022Molina recently returned to his native Puerto Rico to rehab his injured right knee and is without a timeline to come off the 10-day injured list, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Cardinals likely won't have a target date for Molina's return until he's able to resume baseball activities under the supervision of the team, so the fact that he's left the team to conduct his rehab suggests he'll be sidelined beyond the minimum 10 days. Andrew Knizner is expected to continue serving as the Cardinals' main backstop while Molina is on the shelf. Molina's uncertain return date and declining production prior to landing on the IL could make him a reasonable drop candidate, perhaps even in some leagues that start two catchers each week.
Jun 17 2022Molina was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with right knee inflammation. The transaction is retroactive to Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop has dealt with the knee issue throughout the first couple months of the season, and he'll head to the injured list after receiving a series of cortisone injections last weekend. Molina will be eligible to be reinstated June 26, though it's unclear if he's expected to be ready to play by that point. Andrew Knizner will serve as the Cardinals' No. 1 catcher in the meantime, with Ivan Herrera called up to serve as the backup.
Jun 16 2022Molina will be placed on the 10-day injured list Friday due to persistent knee soreness, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has apparently dealt with his sore knee over the first few months of the season, and he received multiple cortisone shots last weekend in an attempt to alleviate the issue. The 39-year-old attempted to continue playing through the issue over the last few days but will ultimately be sidelined for at least a week and a half. Molina doesn't yet have a timetable to return, but the Cardinals are expected to call up Ivan Herrera on Friday.
Jun 14 2022Molina is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Pirates, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina went 1-for-4 with a run during Game 1, which was only his second start in the past seven games, and he'll take a seat for the nightcap. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish in Game 2 of the twin bill.
Jun 13 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina missed three games last week due to soreness and will be held out of the lineup for the fifth time in the last six matchups during Monday's series opener against the Pirates. Andrew Knizner will start behind the plate and bat ninth.
Jun 12 2022Molina will not start Sunday's game against the Reds, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina missed three straight games earlier this week due to soreness. He returned Saturday but is back on the bench one day later. It's unclear if his absence is due to renewed soreness or is merely a routine day off. Either way, Andrew Knizner will get the start behind the plate.
Jun 11 2022Molina (undisclosed) is in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina sat out the past few days with with some soreness, but he will be behind the plate Saturday and will catch Adam Wainwright for the 316h time -- the second most in MLB history. Molina will hit eighth in the Cardinals' batting order.
Jun 10 2022Manager Oliver Marmol said Friday that Molina is out of the lineup Friday against the Reds due to soreness, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina is sitting for a third consecutive game, and he's apparently managing general soreness that has prevented him from playing over the last few days. However, the 39-year-old is expected to be back in action Saturday since Adam Wainwright will be on the mound for the Cardinals.
Jun 9 2022Molina will sit Thursday against the Rays, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina finds himself on the bench for the second game in a row. While he's handled heavy workloads deep into his career, he's no longer among the league leaders in starts behind the plate in his age-39 season, as he sits tied for a modest 17th in that category. Andrew Knizner will be the starting catcher Thursday.
Jun 8 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will take a seat after he caught each of the Cardinals' last three games while going 3-for-14 with a double and five strikeouts. Andrew Knizner will relieve Molina behind the dish.
Jun 4 2022Molina is out of the lineup for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina went 3-for-18 with a double, two RBI, two walks and a strikeout over his last five games, and he'll be out of the lineup for the third time in the last four matchups. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth in Saturday's matinee.
Jun 3 2022Molina is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will get a breather after going 1-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday's loss to the Cubs. Andrew Knizner will get the start at catcher and bat ninth Friday.
Jun 1 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will take a seat for the afternoon game after he was behind the plate for the first two contests of the series. Andrew Knizner checks in at catcher in place of Molina, who finished May with a .241 average, two home runs, nine RBI and seven runs over 18 games.
May 29 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will rest for the day game after he went 1-for-4 while starting at catcher in Saturday's 8-3 win. Andrew Knizner checks in for Molina behind the plate.
May 27 2022Molina will be on the bench Friday against the Brewers, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina started Thursday following a three-game absence in which he returned to Puerto Rico to be with his son, who was undergoing arm surgery after injuring himself in a baseball game. He'll head back to the bench Friday as Andrew Knizner takes over behind the plate.
May 26 2022Molina (personal) was activated from the bereavement list and is starting at catcher and batting sixth Thursday against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will rejoin the Cardinals after spending the three-day minimum on the bereavement list. The 39-year-old has a .273/.273/.455 slash line with two home runs and eight RBI through 13 games in May.
May 23 2022The Cardinals placed Molina (personal) on the bereavement list Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: St. Louis called up Ivan Herrera from Triple-A Memphis to give the team another option behind the dish, but Andrew Knizner is expected to take over as the No. 1 catcher while the 10-time All-Star is away from the Cardinals. Per MLB rules, Molina won't be eligible to be activated for at least three days after landing on the bereavement list, so he'll miss the Cardinals' two-game series with the Blue Jays at minimum.
May 22 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Cardinals and Pirates are wrapping up their series with a game that begins at 11:35 a.m. ET, so Molina will just be getting a breather after he caught both of St. Louis' past two games. Andrew Knizner replaces Molina behind the dish.
May 20 2022Molina went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI in Friday's 5-3 win over the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina contributed a two-run single during the Cardinals' four-run rally in the sixth inning. The catcher has multiple hits in three of his last six games. He's up to a .250/.250/.352 slash line with two home runs, eight RBI, eight runs scored and a stolen base through 88 plate appearances this year. It's a little concerning he has yet to draw a walk after posting at least a five percent walk rate in four of the last five years -- he's never had an on-base percentage lower than .274 in a full season.
May 19 2022Molina isn't starting Thursday's contest versus the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will be on the bench after starting Wednesday's loss behind the plate, going 1-for-3 in the contest. Andrew Knizner is starting at catcher and will bat ninth in the series finale.
May 17 2022Molina is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Mets, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts during Game 1, and it's not a surprise he won't be starting both games of the twin bill. Andrew Knizner will take over behind the plate and bat ninth.
May 16 2022Molina went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI in Sunday's 15-6 win over the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina had a two-run single in the first inning and a two-run homer in the fifth. He's posted multiple hits in three of eight games in May, going 9-for-27 (.333) with two homers, six RBI and six runs scored. The veteran catcher is up to a .253/.253/.373 slash line in 75 plate appearances overall.
May 13 2022Molina isn't starting Friday against the Giants, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has gone 1-for-7 with a double, two runs and a strikeout over his last two games, and he'll take a seat for a second consecutive matchup. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat ninth.
May 12 2022Molina isn't starting Thursday's rubber match versus the Orioles, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The catcher will get a breather after starting two straight games, going 1-for-7 with a double and two runs over those contests. Andrew Knizner will start behind the plate and bat eighth.
May 8 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at San Francisco, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will head to the bench Sunday for the second time in the past three games. Andrew Knizner will start behind the plate in his place.
May 6 2022Molina went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in a 7-1 victory versus the Giants on Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop came into the contest with only one extra-base hit (a double) on the season, but he was able to break that drought with a a third-inning solo homer to left field. Molina later singled and scored in the fifth inning to put a bow on his best offensive performance of the campaign. Molina could be breaking out of a season-long slump, as he's batting .321 (9-for-28) over his past eight contests.
May 4 2022Molina is starting at catcher and will bat eighth against the Royals on Wednesday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After missing Tuesday's loss to the Royals while dealing with an illness, Molina is ready to go for Wednesday's rubber match. The 39-year-old has gotten off to a slow start this season, batting .208 with one extra-base hit while still looking for his first RBI. If his struggles continue, Andrew Knizner figures to gain more playing time as the year goes on.
May 3 2022Molina's absence from the lineup Tuesday against the Royals is due to an illness, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The illness explains why Molina will be out of the lineup for the third consecutive game, but he's tested negative for COVID-19, so he could return to action soon. Andrew Knizner remains the starter until he returns.
May 2 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After making four straight starts behind the dish, Molina received a breather for Sunday's 7-5 win over the Diamondbacks, but his absence from the lineup for the second day in a row is more suspect. The Cardinals haven't yet indicated that an injury is the cause of Molina sitting out Monday, so it's possible the team just wanted to build in consecutive rest days for the veteran during a busy portion of the schedule. Andrew Knizner will pick up another turn behind the dish in Molina's stead.
May 1 2022Molina is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina started the last four games and will receive a well-deserved day off in the series finale versus Arizona. Andrew Knizner will work behind the plate Sunday, forming a battery with Jordan Hicks.
Apr 26 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina is getting some routine maintenance Tuesday after he started behind the plate in both of the past two days. Andrew Knizner will serve as the Cardinals' catcher and No. 8 hitter in the second game of the series with the Mets.
Apr 22 2022Molina isn't starting Friday's game against the Reds, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will get a breather after going 2-for-10 in the last three games. Andrew Knizner will take over behind the dish and bat ninth.
Apr 19 2022Molina (soreness) is back in action as expected for Tuesday's game against Miami, batting eighth and catching for Adam Wainwright, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina missed the last three games with what the Cardinals simply called "soreness," but he's ready to go following Monday's off day. He'll look to get going at the plate following a slow start that saw him go 2-for-15 in his first four games.
Apr 17 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers with what Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol termed as "soreness," John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina appears to be dealing with general body fatigue rather than any sort of injury, even though he'll be on the bench for the third game in a row. Marmol already said that Molina will be back behind the plate for Tuesday's game in Miami, catching Opening Day starter Adam Wainwright in that contest. From there, Marmol suggested that Molina and No. 2 backstop Andrew Knizner could split starts at catcher until Molina's soreness subsides.
Apr 16 2022Molina isn't starting Saturday against Milwaukee, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina started the first three games of the season, but he'll now be out of the lineup for the third time in the last four matchups. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Apr 15 2022Molina is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina went 1-for-3 in Thursday's series opener and will take a seat Friday for the second time this season. Andrew Knizner will start behind the plate in his place.
Apr 12 2022Molina will sit Tuesday against the Royals, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina had been scheduled to sit Monday against the Pirates, but that game wound up getting rained out. He'll wind up getting two days off in a row, as Andrew Knizner is again scheduled for his season debut Tuesday.
Apr 11 2022Molina is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was behind the dish for each of the first three games of the season-opening series, going a collective 1-for-12. Andrew Knizner will check in behind the dish Monday, forming a battery with starting pitcher Dakota Hudson.
Mar 26 2022Molina had his first appearance of spring training pushed back from Sunday to Monday, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina missed the first week of Cardinals camp while tending to a personal matter. There is no injury concern for Molina. Instead the veteran simply wanted to get more swings in the cage prior to taking the field. He is now set to catch for Adam Wainwright on Monday.
Mar 25 2022Molina will make his spring debut Sunday against the Mets, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina missed the start of camp due to a personal matter, but a veteran like him may not need too many spring at-bats to get up to speed. Previous reports indicated he'd return Saturday, but he'll wait one additional day before beginning his Grapefruit League campaign.
Mar 21 2022Molina (personal) arrived at the Cardinals' big-league camp Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was absent for the first week of Cardinals camp while tending to a personal matter, but the 39-year-old wasn't likely to see extensive use anyway in the early days of spring training as he gears up for his 18th big-league campaign. Though Molina is no longer a perennial Gold Glove candidate, he remains a plus defender and at least a serviceable performer at the dish relative to other catchers around the league. While Molina may receive at least a couple maintenance days per week in what will likely be his final season in the majors, the lack of high-impact fantasy performers at the catcher spot makes him a draft-worthy option in all but the shallowest of leagues. He's coming off a 2021 season in which he hit .252 with 11 home runs, 66 RBI, 45 runs and three stolen bases over 472 plate appearances.
Mar 18 2022Manager Oliver Marmol said Molina (personal) is expected to report to spring training Monday, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has yet to arrive to camp due to personal reasons, but he's set to join the team in a few days time. The 39-year-old will then have a couple weeks to ramp up for Opening Day of his 19th major-league campaign.
Mar 14 2022Molina missed the start of camp for personal reasons but is expected to arrive soon, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Exactly when Molina will show up is unclear. The slight delay shouldn't affect his readiness for Opening Day unless it lasts much longer than expected.
Oct 3 2021Molina started both of the Cardinals' final two games of the regular season following a three-game absence due to shoulder soreness. He went 1-for-7 with three strikeouts and finished the season with a .252/.296/.371 slash line across 469 plate appearances. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop got some rest days in ahead of the Cardinals' postseason, but manager Mike Shildt made sure to get him some reps before the curtain closed on the regular season. Molina's 2021 slash line left plenty of room for improvement, yet his 11 home runs and 66 RBI were his best figures in that category since 2018.
Oct 2 2021Molina (shoulder) is starting Saturday's game against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina had missed the last four games due to a sore right shoulder, but he'll start behind the plate and bat sixth Saturday. The 39-year-old went 3-for-10 with a double, four RBI, a run and a walk across his last three appearances.
Oct 1 2021Molina (shoulder) is out of the lineup Friday against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will sit for the forth straight game while nursing a sore right shoulder. St. Louis has secured its playoff positioning, so there's no incentive to rush the veteran catcher back into the starting nine. However, he played catch on the field ahead of Friday's game and is expected to return at some point this weekend, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. Andrew Knizner will work behind the plate again in his absence.
Sep 30 2021Molina (shoulder) remains on the bench for Thursday's game against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A sore shoulder will now cost Molina his third straight start. The Cardinals have no incentive to risk anything with the veteran backstop as they've already locked up a wild-card spot. Andrew Knizner remains the starter behind the plate.
Sep 29 2021Molina (shoulder) isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Brewers, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to shoulder soreness, and he'll be excluded from the starting nine for a second straight contest. Manager Mike Shildt said Wednesday that the backstop will get a few days off prior to the end of the regular season after the Cardinals clinched a postseason spot, but he isn't concerned about Molina's injury. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Sep 28 2021Molina was scratched from Tuesday's lineup versus the Brewers due to shoulder soreness, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has apparently been dealing with the injury over the past few days, and he won't start Tuesday's contest after initially being slated to work behind the plate. Andrew Knizner will take over catching duties with Adam Wainwright on the mound as the Cardinals attempt to secure their spot in the playoffs.
Sep 26 2021Molina is not in the lineup Sunday against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina started behind the plate each of the past seven games, with his only game out of the lineup coming in Game 1 of Friday's doubleheader. Andrew Knizner will catch for St. Louis in the series finale.
Sep 24 2021Molina is on the bench for Game 1 of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 38-year-old gets the afternoon off before gearing up to catch Jack Flaherty (shoulder) in the nightcap. Molina has hit .289 with two home runs and nine RBI in his last 12 games. Andrew Knizner starts behind the dish and bats eighth.
Sep 21 2021Molina went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles in a win over the Brewers on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop did his part in helping the Cardinals garner a ninth straight win, plating Tyler O'Neill and Nolan Arenado in the sixth and eighth innings with his timely knocks. Molina has been wielding a productive bat most of September, as he now owns a .310/.370/.500 slash line with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, two walks, two hit-by-pitches and eight runs across the 46 plate appearances he's logged over his last 11 games.
Sep 19 2021Molina is on the bench for Sunday's game against the Padres. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Consecutive hitless showings have lowered Molina's average to .290 with four extra-base hits and five RBI in his last 10 games. Andrew Knizner is catching and batting eighth Sunday.
Sep 14 2021Molina went 3-for-5 with an RBI single, a double and two runs in a win over the Mets on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop generated one of three multi-hit efforts on the night for the Cardinals and his third over the last four games. Molina has hit safely in four of his last five games overall, an impressive stretch during which he's hitting .375 (9-for-24) with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, two walks and six runs.
Sep 12 2021Molina will hit the bench Sunday against the Reds, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina sits for the third time this week as the Cardinals look to keep the 39-year-old's legs fresh down the stretch. Andrew Knizner will catch J.A. Happ.
Sep 10 2021Molina went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run Friday in a loss to the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: St. Louis' offense struggled to produce only five hits Friday, with two of those coming off Molina's bat. The veteran catcher drove in the only two runs of the game for his team with a fourth-inning blast off Tyler Mahle. Molina has hit a modest 11 homers this season, but three have come in his past six games.
Sep 6 2021Molina isn't starting Monday's game against the Dodgers, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina started each of the last four games and went 2-for-13 with a home run, a double, four RBI and three runs. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Sep 4 2021Molina went 1-for-4 with a grand slam and an additional run in a 15-4 rout of Milwaukee on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina put the icing on a blowout win with a ninth-inning grand slam. It was the fifth career grand slam for the veteran catcher and his ninth overall long ball this season. Molina's big blast also broke a personal 39-game homerless drought.
Sep 1 2021Molina isn't in the lineup for the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will get a breather after he went 0-for-8 with five strikeouts across the last two games. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth, with Molina presumably starting the nightcap.
Aug 25 2021Molina is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After agreeing to a one-year, $10 million contract extension earlier Tuesday that will keep him in St. Louis through 2022, Molina started behind the dish and went 1-for-4 in the Cardinals' 4-3 loss to Detroit. He'll take a seat in the series finale, giving way to Andrew Knizner.
Aug 24 2021Molina signed a one-year, $10 million contract extension that will keep him with the Cardinals through 2022, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In his age-38 season, Molina has slashed .259/.304/.376 with eight home runs and 51 RBI while providing his typical, Hall of Fame-worthy defense behind the plate. August has been a strong month for the veteran, as he's hit .302 with nine RBI in 15 games. Though he requires more frequent off-days at this age, Molina has suffered minimal offensive drop-off in recent years, so it's fair to expect similar numbers at the plate next season. Currently fourth on the all-time games caught list, Molina needs 147 more games to pass Bob Boone and Carlton Fisk for second in baseball history.
Aug 23 2021Molina, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a run in a win over the Pirates on Sunday, now owns a .302/.362/.340 slash line over 58 August plate appearances (15 games). ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While the first two components of the veteran catcher's line are certainly noteworthy, the pedestrian slugging percentage is the direct byproduct of Molina mustering only a pair of doubles in terms of extra-base hits over that 15-game span. However, the 39-year-old has still managed nine RBI during the month on his 16 hits, and his minuscule 6.9 percent strikeout rate within the sample is elite. Molina will take a five-game hitting streak into Tuesday's series opener versus the Tigers.
Aug 19 2021Molina isn't starting Thursday's game against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will head to the bench for the second time in the last four games after he went 2-for-7 with an RBI, a walk and a strikeout across the last two contests. Andrew Knizner will take his place behind the dish and bat eighth.
Aug 15 2021Molina is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has shouldered one of the heavier workloads among all catchers since entering the majors in 2004, but the Cardinals have been spelling the 39-year-old with more regularity in the second half of the season. For the fourth time in 10 games, Molina will take a seat in favor of backup backstop Andrew Knizner.
Aug 12 2021Molina isn't starting Thursday's game against the Pirates, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will get a breather after he went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI in Wednesday's win over the Pirates. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Aug 8 2021Molina is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will get some planned maintenance for the day game after a night game, allowing Andrew Knizner to pick up a start behind the dish. Through his 16 games since the All-Star break, Molina hasn't provided much production for fantasy managers with a .237 average, zero home runs, one steal, five RBI and two runs.
Aug 5 2021Molina is out of the lineup Thursday against Atlanta. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina snapped a three-game hitting streak Wednesday when he went 0-for-4, and he'll get a breather after he drew seven consecutive starts behind the plate. Andrew Knizner will take over at catcher and bat eighth.
Aug 2 2021Molina, who went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in a win over the Twins on Sunday, is hitting .316 (6-for-19) over his five contests since his return from a three-game absence due to neck stiffness. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop has a trio of two-hit efforts during that span, including back-to-back such tallies. Molina is mired in an extensive extra-base-hit drought, however, not notching anything more than a single since July 2, a span of 18 games.
Jul 27 2021Molina (neck) will start at catcher and bat fifth Tuesday against Cleveland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was on the bench for the Cardinals' last three games due to a stiff neck, but he looks to be good to go coming out of Monday's team off day. The veteran backstop is slashing .250/.295/.390 with eight home runs and 41 RBI over 292 plate appearances on the season.
Jul 25 2021Molina (neck) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A stiff neck will keep Molina on the bench for the third game in a row, but the Cardinals are seemingly hopeful that he'll be ready to go coming out of Monday's team off day. Andrew Knizner gets another turn behind the plate, catching for Johan Oviedo in the series finale.
Jul 24 2021Molina isn't starting Saturday's game against the Reds. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Molina is suffering from neck stiffness, which also led to his absence from Friday's game. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has gone 2-for-12 with a run, an RBI, a walk and three strikeouts across his last three appearances, and he'll retreat to the bench for a second straight game. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Jul 23 2021Molina will sit Friday against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Even at age 39 and even with a brief trip to the injured list in late April, Molina has handled one of the heaviest workloads behind the plate this season. His 73 games started at catcher ranks fourth in the league. He'll get a rest Friday, with Andrew Knizner taking over in his absence.
Jul 22 2021Molina went 1-for-5 with a game-winning RBI single in Wednesday's extra-inning victory over the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop came through when it mattered most, lacing his only hit of the night in the 10th inning to plate Paul Goldschmidt for the winning run. Molina has hit safely in three straight games and has notably started all six of the Cardinals' post-All-Star-break contests after sitting out the Midsummer Classic to manage foot soreness.
Jul 20 2021Molina went 2-for-4 with a run in a win over the Cubs on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop had been managing a minor foot issue as the All-Star break approached, which led to him opting to skip out on the Midsummer Classic. Molina has started all four of the Cardinals' second-half games, but Monday's production snapped what had been a 1-for-11 funk across his first three contests since the break.
Jul 10 2021Molina will skip the All-Star Game due to a foot injury, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The issue hasn't been enough to keep Molina out of the games that count, but he'll elect to rest during the break rather than take part in an exhibition game. It doesn't sound as though he's at risk of missing any regular-season matchups.
Jul 7 2021Molina is not starting Wednesday's game against the Giants, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A three-hit showing Tuesday boosted Molina's average to .317 in the last 11 games and .260 on the season. He's also contributed eight RBI during that 11-game span. Andrew Knizner will start at catcher in Wednesday's series finale.
Jul 4 2021Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rockies, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop will head to the bench for only the second time since June 8, with his previous game off coming as part of a doubleheader. Andrew Knizner will start behind the plate with Molina receiving a rare breather.
Jul 3 2021Molina went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored, three RBI and a stolen base in Friday's 9-3 extra-inning win over the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His two-run blast in the second inning got the Cards on the board. Molina hadn't gone yard since May 22 as he snapped a 31-game power drought, and on the year he's slashing .257/.304/.428 with eight homers, two steals, 26 runs and 37 RBI through 62 contests.
Jun 29 2021Molina went 1-for-4 with a two-run double and a run in a win over the Diamondbacks on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina gave the Cardinals some valuable breathing room in the seventh inning by plating Tyler O'Neill and Paul Goldschmidt with his timely double. The veteran backstop now has a four-game hitting streak, a span during which he's laced three two-baggers and knocked in three runs.
Jun 27 2021Molina went a combined 3-for-7 with an RBI single, a double, a walk and a run over both weekend games against the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop began to claw out of an extended slump in Friday's loss to the Pirates with a double, stolen base and a run. He followed it up with his first multi-hit effort since May 29 on Saturday and then laced his second two-bagger in three contests Sunday. Molina has inched his season slash line back to .254/.306/.423 with the three-game surge, and he'll look to continue building on those numbers as the Cardinals begin a home series against the Diamondbacks on Monday.
Jun 26 2021Molina went 1-for-5 with a double, a stolen base and a run in a loss to the Pirates on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop set himself up in scoring position with his first steal since 2019 in the third inning and then came home on rookie Lars Nootbaar's single. Despite the modest offensive success Friday, Molina remains mired in a deep slump, as he's produced a .100 average (4-for-40) over his last 12 games.
Jun 20 2021Molina isn't starting Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against Atlanta, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina started in Sunday's matinee and went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Andrew Knizner will start at catcher and bat eighth in the second game of the twin bill.
Jun 12 2021Molina went 3-for-4 in a loss to the Cubs on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop had gone 0-for-2 with a hit by pitch, a walk, an RBI and a run Wednesday in his return from a two-game absence due to a knee bruise, and he followed it up with his first multi-hit effort since May 29 in Friday's defeat. Molina is putting together one of his best offensive performances of the past several seasons, as he's carrying a .286 average, .823 OPS, 18 extra-base hits and 28 RBI across 167 plate appearances.
Jun 9 2021Molina (knee) is starting Wednesday's game against Cleveland, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina missed the last two games due to a bruised left knee, but he'll return to the lineup to catch Adam Wainwright in Wednesday's series finale. Across his last five appearances, the 38-year-old has gone 1-for-15 with an RBI, two walks and three strikeouts.
Jun 8 2021Molina (knee) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against Cleveland, Bally Sports Midwest reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was available off the bench Sunday, so the same is likely true Tuesday after receiving a couple days of rest. Andrew Knizner catches once again while Molina recovers from the bruised left knee. Manager Mike Shildt said Molina is only available in the case of emergency again Tuesday, though he expressed optimism that the backstop could return Wednesday, per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat.
Jun 6 2021Molina (knee) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds, but Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said the veteran catcher is expected to avoid a trip to the 10-day injured list, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Andrew Knizner gets the nod behind the dish in Sunday's series finale, but Shildt noted that Molina is available "in any emergency if we need it" while the backstop contends with a bruised left knee. Ideally, the Cardinals would prefer to stay away from Molina on Sunday, with the hope that a day out of the lineup coupled with Monday's team off day is enough to resolve the knee issue. After the off day, the Cardinals will return to action Tuesday for a two-game set against Cleveland.
Jun 5 2021Molina is considered day-to-day after leaving Saturday's game against Cincinnati with a bruised left knee, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina initially remained in the game after taking a foul ball off his knee while catching, but he was eventually replaced by a pinch hitter. The Cardinals will continue to evaluate him, but it looks as though he stands a good chance of avoiding a trip to the injured list. The team has an off day Monday, so Molina could get two days off in a row if he sits in favor of Andrew Knizner in Sunday's series finale.
Jun 2 2021Molina is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has a reputation of annually logging one of the heavier workloads among all catchers, but the Cardinals have been more liberal about resting him of late. He'll sit for the second time in four games and for the third time in eight games, allowing Andrew Knizner to pick up another turn behind the dish. More frequent rest days could be in the forecast for the 38-year-old as the Cardinals aim to preserve him while he's battled injuries more often in recent years.
May 30 2021Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will take a seat for the series finale after starting the first three games in Arizona. Andrew Knizner will start behind the plate Sunday for St. Louis.
May 27 2021Molina went 3-for-5 with an RBI double and a run scored in Thursday's 5-4 extra-inning win over Arizona. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The catcher got aboard with a single and scored on Tyler O'Neill's two-run home run in the second inning. Molina then gave St. Louis the lead with his RBI double in the 10th. The three-hit effort bumped his average back over .300 for the first time since May 18. The 38-year-old is slashing .301/.333/.553 with seven home runs, 22 RBI and 16 runs scored across 132 plate appearances this year.
May 26 2021Molina isn't starting Wednesday's game against the White Sox, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will get a breather after he started each of the last 10 games. Andrew Knizner will start behind the plate and bat sixth.
May 25 2021Molina went 2-for-4 in Monday's loss to the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Cardinals only mustered one run and five hits against the White Sox, but Molina still made his presence felt with two knocks -- he was one of two St. Louis players who recorded more than one hit. The veteran backstop has hit safely in seven of his last nine contests, hitting .273 with two homers, three RBI and two runs scored during that stretch.
May 22 2021Molina went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Offense was sparse for both sides in the contest, and Molina provided the only long ball with a seventh-inning solo shot that proved to be the difference in the game. The veteran catcher hasn't slowed down a bit this season, slashing .290/.316/.561 across 114 plate appearances. He has seven homers and 21 RBI on the campaign, already exceeding his total over 42 games last year.
May 16 2021Molina went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's loss to San Diego. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran catcher launched a 378-foot solo shot to right field in the fourth inning. He entered the contest with just one hit over his previous 11 at-bats, so he'll look to build momentum off Saturday's long ball. Molina is slashing .295/.326/.591 with six homers and 20 RBI on the season.
May 13 2021Molina isn't starting Thursday's game against the Brewers, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has gone 0-for-8 with three strikeouts in the last two games and will take a seat for Thursday's early afternoon game. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
May 10 2021Molina went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and another two-bagger in a win over the Rockies on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The ageless backstop continued to tear up the ball, giving the Cardinals a bit more breathing room with his fourth-inning double. Molina is 3-for-8 with four RBI in his first two games back from the injured list, not missing a beat after an impressive start to the season that saw him slash .323/.366/.631 over his first 19 games.
May 8 2021Molina went 1-for-4 with three RBI and two strikeouts during Saturday's 9-8 win against Colorado. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 38-year-old was activated from the 10-day injured list Saturday and brought home three runs in his first game since April 26. Molina has a .319/.360/.609 slash line with five homers, five doubles, 17 RBI and 13 runs in 20 games this season.
May 6 2021Molina (foot) was cleared to resume some baseball activities Thursday, Jim Hayes of Bally Sports Midwest reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While it's not yet clear which activities Molina will be able to participate in, it's encouraging to see him take a step in his recovery. The 38-year-old has been on the 10-day injured list with a strained tendon in his right foot since April 27, and it's unlikely that he'll be able to return when first eligible Friday. Andrew Knizner should continue to serve as the top catching option while Molina is unavailable.
May 3 2021Molina (foot) will be reevaluated at some point this week to determine when he can return to baseball activities, the Associated Press reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran catcher landed on the injured list Tuesday with a strained tendon in his right foot. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak offered the update regarding Molina on Monday, and the timeline he provided seems to imply the veteran backstop won't be ready to come off the IL when first eligible Friday, barring unforeseen developments.
Apr 27 2021Molina was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained tendon in his right foot Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina missed a pair of games over the weekend due to the issue but returned to the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies. He went hitless in that contest and will now be shut down for at least 10 days. Ali Sanchez was called up in a corresponding move and is expected to back up Andrew Knizner behind the plate.
Apr 26 2021Molina (foot) will bat fifth and catch Adam Wainwright on Monday against the Phillies, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina exited Friday's game against the Reds with a sore right foot and missed the next two contests. Tests revealed no serious issues, however, so he's back in action following a brief absence. He was hitting .339/.382/.661 with five homers prior to suffering the injury and will try to recapture that form Monday.
Apr 25 2021Molina (foot) underwent imaging that was encouraging Sunday, and he could return to the lineup as early as Monday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has missed the last two games since exiting Friday's contest early. However, manager Mike Shildt said after Sunday's game that he's hopeful that Molina could return to the field for Monday's series opener against Philadelphia. Molina had gone 8-for-20 with six extra-base hits and six RBI in the six games prior to his absence.
Apr 24 2021Molina (foot) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina left Friday's win over the Reds in the fifth inning due to right foot soreness. Molina is currently considered day-to-day, but Andrew Knizner will start behind the plate and bat seventh Saturday.
Apr 23 2021Molina exited Friday's win over the Reds in the fifth inning with right foot soreness, the Associated Press reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran catcher was 2-for-3 with an RBI double and solo home run before exiting the contest, pushing his season slash to a stellar .339/.382/.661. Molina was replaced by Andrew Knizner and is considered day-to-day for the time being, putting his status for Saturday's game versus Cincinnati into doubt.
Apr 21 2021Molina isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Nationals, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina reached base three times and scored a run in Tuesday's loss to Washington, but he'll get a day off for Wednesday's series finale. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish, batting eighth.
Apr 20 2021Molina went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina continued his torrid hitting stretch to begin the season Tuesday night with the 38-year-old catcher having notched at least one base hit in all but two games so far. He's now slashing .328/.375/.603 with four home runs, 12 RBI and 12 runs scored through the first 16 contests and is on pace for his best offensive season in the last several years.
Apr 17 2021Molina went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four total RBI in Saturday's win over the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has been on fire to start the year and blasted two long balls in this one, pushing up his season total to four while also recording his third multi-hit game of the campaign. The veteran catcher has hit safely in all but two games in 2021 and has been the Cardinals' top hitter thus far with a .340 average and a 1.044 OPS through his first 52 appearances.
Apr 13 2021Molina will sit Tuesday against the Nationals, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 38-year-old has handled a heavy workload so far this season, starting each of the Cardinals' first 10 games behind the plate -- the most starts for any catcher thus far. Andrew Knizner will make his first start of the year in Molina's absence.
Apr 12 2021Molina went 1-for-4 with a home run in Monday's loss against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The sample size is small, but the veteran backstop has been a dominant presence in the middle of the Cardinals lineup. Aside from launching his second long ball of the campaign, Molina extended his hitting streak to nine games and is hitting .353 with a .998 OPS over his first 39 plate appearances.
Apr 11 2021Molina entered Sunday's game against the Brewers on a seven-game hitting streak and slashing .370/.419/.519 across his first 31 plate appearances of the season. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The sample size is small, but Molina looks like he's turned back the clock early in the new campaign. The aforementioned slash line is partly comprised of a double, a home run and seven RBI and was most recently boosted by a 3-for-4 effort versus Milwaukee on Saturday that saw the veteran backstop reach safely in four of five plate appearances. Molina went into the season projected to split more time than usual behind the dish in his age-38 season, but thus far, he's yet to cede a start to Andrew Knizner.
Apr 7 2021Molina went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, one walk and two runs scored Wednesday against the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina continued his strong start to the season by slugging his first home run off Pablo Lopez in the seventh inning. He now has at least one RBI in five of six games this season and has collected at least one hit in five straight contests. The 38-year-old has also struck out only three times in 22 plate appearances.
Apr 6 2021Molina went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in a win over the Marlins on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: That's four total RBI and a three-game hitting streak to open the season for Molina, with Monday's timely two-bagger qualifying as his first extra-base hit. The 38-year-old looks primed for another productive season at the plate if early returns are any indication, and with just two strikeouts over his first 14 plate appearances, his eye seems to be as discerning as ever.
Apr 5 2021Molina went 1-for-2 with an RBI single in a loss to the Reds on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The ageless backstop's fifth-inning hit knotted the score at 1-1 before the Reds went on to explode for 11 runs over the following three frames. Molina is slated to split more time behind the dish this season than in years past -- in fact, Andrew Knizner pinch hit for him in the seventh inning Sunday -- but the 38-year-old has already gotten off to a strong start in 2021 by reaching safely in all three games and driving in a pair of runs overall.
Mar 13 2021Molina went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in a Grapefruit League win over the Astros on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina logged a full game behind the dish for the first time this spring, and his sixth-inning blast, which Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports had an exit velocity of 106.9 mph, was his first of Grapefruit League play. The 38-year-old already appears to be in midseason form, hitting .267 (4-for-15) with a double and two walks in addition to Friday's round tripper and pair of RBI.
Mar 7 2021Molina is 2-for-6 with a double and a walk across his first three Grapefruit League games heading into Sunday's action against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The ageless backstop wasted no time breaking the ice at the plate this spring and appears ready for another productive year entering his age-38/39 season. Molina is likely to split more time than in previous years behind the dish, however, as he's only signed through this season and the organization is aiming to finally give Andrew Knizner a more extensive look as the potential future at catcher after deploying veteran Matt Wieters as Molina's backup the previous pair of campaigns.
Feb 8 2021Molina signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Cardinals on Monday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As previously rumored, Molina will return to the Cardinals for his age-38 season. The veteran backstop appeared in 42 contests during a shortened 2020 campaign, slashing .262/.303/.359 with four home runs and 16 RBI.
Oct 1 2020Molina went 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI in Wednesday's Game 1 win over the Padres. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His three hits led all batters in this 7-4 win. Molina should catch every game for St. Louis during these playoffs.
Sep 25 2020Molina isn't in the lineup for the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Brewers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will retreat to the bench after going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in the first game of the twin bill. Matt Wieters will start at catcher in his place.
Sep 23 2020Molina went 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and a walk in Wednesday's loss against Kansas City. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has hit safely in four of St. Louis' last six games, posting three multi-hit performances during that stretch. The veteran backstop continues to be an offensive force for the Cardinals but has struggled during September, posting a .246 average in 65 at-bats this month.
Sep 20 2020Molina went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina's two-run shot off Derek Holland in the seventh proved to be the difference in the game. It was especially encouraging to see the veteran backstop go deep after lingering wrist issues forced him to leave Saturday's tilt. Molina will carry four homers, 16 RBI and a .256/.295/.364 slash line into the series against the Royals.
Sep 19 2020Molina exited Saturday's game against the Pirates with a left wrist bruise, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 38-year-old first sustained the injury Tuesday when he was hit by a bat on a catcher's interference, and he apparently aggravated it Saturday. According to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, X-rays came back negative, but Molina's status for Sunday's series finale remains up in the air.
Sep 18 2020Molina isn't starting the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will take a seat after going 2-for-3 with two runs during Friday's matinee. Matt Wieters will start behind the plate during Game 2.
Sep 16 2020Molina is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina returned from the wrist injury he suffered Tuesday and started Game 1, going 1-for-3. Matt Wieters will start behind the plate in the nightcap for the Cardinals.
Sep 15 2020Molina is undergoing X-rays on his left hand/wrist after Tuesday's 18-3 loss to the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop suffered the injury when his hand was struck by a bat on a catcher's interference, and he eventually exited the blowout loss after attempting to remain in the game. Molina should be considered day-to-day until the X-ray results are announced, but his availability for Wednesday's doubleheader is in doubt regardless as he deals with discomfort.
Sep 14 2020Molina isn't starting Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina takes a seat after starting behind the dish in Game 1. Matt Wieters draws the start at catcher and will bat eighth in Molina's place.
Sep 12 2020Molina isn't in Saturday's lineup against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina and Matt Wieters have alternated starts over the last five games, and they'll do so again Saturday with Wieters starting behind the plate. Over his last six games, Molina is 2-for-18 with one home run, two RBI, two walks and three strikeouts.
Sep 10 2020Molina went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run during a 12-2 win over the Tigers in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He took Tarik Skubal deep in the second inning to kick off the rout for the Cards. After getting a rest for the nightcap -- not a surprising development for the 38-year-old backstop -- Molina is slashing .277/.310/.383 with three homers and 14 RBI through 26 games.
Sep 8 2020Molina is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Twins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina returned to action for Tuesday's matinee after leaving Monday's contest with a bruised left elbow, but he won't start both ends of the twin bill. He went 0-for-3 in Game 1. Matt Wieters will start behind the plate and bat eighth in the nightcap.
Sep 7 2020Manger Mike Shildt is confident Molina (elbow) will be back in the lineup Tuesday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was removed from Monday's game as a precaution after not being able to fully extend his left arm. However, he was receiving treatment for the injury and it appears likely he will be available to return Tuesday.
Sep 3 2020Molina, who went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a loss to the Reds on Wednesday, is slashing .348/.380/.500 with two homers, eight RBI, one walk and five runs across the 50 plate appearances covering his last 12 games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As those numbers indicate, the veteran backstop has been outstanding after jumping back into action following a bout with COVID-19, and Wednesday's solo blast helped push his season line to .303/.325/.395. Molina is putting a lot more balls in play and in the air at a career-high clip thus far this season -- his 1.2 percent walk rate and 8.6 percent strikeout rates are career-low figures, while his 41.4 percent flyball rate ranks as a new high-water mark.
Aug 28 2020Molina went a combined 2-for-6 with a solo home run during a pair of seven-inning doubleheader games against the Pirates on Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina's first homer of the season game in the matinee, when he launched a 413-foot shot to left off Chad Kuhl to erase an early 1-0 deficit. The veteran backstop is now carrying a four-game hitting streak, and with Thursday's production, he vaulted his season slash line to .302/.327/.377.
Aug 27 2020Molina went 2-for-4 with an RBI from a bases-loaded hit by pitch and also scored a run in a win over the Royals on Wednesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina pushed his batting average to .298 with Wednesday's multi-hit effort, his third since being activated from the COVID-19 injured list Aug. 20. Molina is still in search of his first home run of the campaign, and he counts a double in Tuesday's loss to Kansas City as his only extra-base hit of 2020 thus far.
Aug 23 2020Molina went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored Sunday against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina collected four singles, two of which drove in runs to contribute to the Cardinals' victory. This was his fourth game back in the lineup, and he's already collected five RBI while going 7-for-16 at the dish. Overall, Molina is hitting .314 with, but has not walked or recorded an extra-base hit in 35 plate appearances.
Aug 20 2020Molina went 2-for-3 with three RBI during Thursday's win against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina was cleared to rejoin the Cardinals ahead of Thursday's contest after missing eight games while dealing with COVID-19. The 38-year-old will presumably return to primary catching duties for St. Louis. Overall this season, Molina is 6-for-22 with four RBI and one run scored.
Aug 19 2020Manager Mike Shildt said he "would not rule out" the possibility of Molina (illness) starting Thursday's game against the Reds, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: President of baseball operations John Mozeliak previously indicated the veteran backstop wouldn't be activated prior to Thursday, and it appears he'll be ready to return at the first opportunity. Molina figures to immediately reclaim the everyday role upon his return, shifting Matt Wieters back to reserve duties.
Aug 18 2020Molina (illness) was cleared to resume workouts Tuesday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has been sidelined since Aug. 4, but he worked out with the team Tuesday for the first time since testing positive for COVID-19. The catcher was previously ruled out for the team's current series against the Cubs, but it's unclear whether he'll be available for the team's upcoming games against the Reds. Matt Wieters and Andrew Knizner should continue to handle duties behind the dish while Molina is sidelined.
Aug 14 2020Molina (illness) will not be rejoining the team during its upcoming eight-game resumption of play in Chicago versus the White Sox and Cubs, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran catcher was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Aug. 4, and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak seemed to imply Thursday that Molina won't be cleared from that designation any earlier than Thursday, the day after the barrage of upcoming contests for St. Louis. Molina will need to clear all testing protocols and also get in several workouts before being considered ready for game action. Matt Wieters and Andrew Knizner are expected to handle the catching duties while Molina remains on the shelf.
Aug 4 2020Molina (illness) landed on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina is one of several Cardinals who have tested positive for the virus over the past several days. He's reportedly asymptomatic but won't be able to return from the injured list until testing negative for the virus twice. Matt Wieters should be the Cardinals' top catcher in Molina's absence, though whether the team is able to return to play before Molina is cleared remains to be seen.
Jul 27 2020Molina, who went 1-for-3 in a loss to the Pirates on Sunday, has hit safely in each of his first three games of the season. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The seemingly ageless catcher rapped out a trio of singles over the weekend set against the Pirates while also accruing one RBI and only striking out once. It's essentially par for the course for Molina, who came into 2020 having hit .270 or better in eight of the previous nine campaigns.
May 26 2020Molina, whose contract expires at the end of the 2020 season, is not a lock to finish his career in St. Louis, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Saxon notes the franchise legend could find himself elsewhere in 2021 and beyond if he "overplays his hand" in terms of salary demands. Conversely, if Molina displays a willingness to split time with a prospect such as Andrew Knizner or Ivan Herrera next season and accept a salary commensurate to a part-time role, his chances of remaining in the fold are likely to be much higher. Molina was originally slated for a robust $20 million salary this year had the season unfolded normally, so it remains to be seen if he and the Cardinals will be able to arrive at a 2021 figure that both deem reasonable.
Apr 12 2020Molina hit .212 (7-for-33) with three RBI, one walk and four runs across 12 Grapefruit League games before spring training was suspended. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop's spring numbers, albeit poor, are very likely nothing to be concerned with at this point in his storied career. Molina showed he had plenty left in the tank last season over 113 games, slashing .270/.312/.399 with 34 extra-base hits (24 doubles, 10 home runs) and 57 RBI across 452 plate appearances. While the promising Andrew Knizner continues to bide his time at Triple-A Memphis, Molina projects to once again draw the bulk of starts this season with fellow veteran Matt Wieters giving him an occasional breather.
Mar 12 2020Molina and the Cardinals have been in contact about a contract extension that would keep the catcher in St. Louis through 2021 or 2022, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina has graded out as more of an above-average defender than an elite one the past two years and his OPS has fallen in three consecutive seasons, but what remains of his skill set along with his ability to handle a heavy workload makes him a viable No. 1 catcher. Because of that along with the value Molina brings in the clubhouse, it's not too surprising that the Cardinals are at least considering extending him through his age-39 or age-40 season. Molina's track record of durability isn't quite as impeachable as it once was, but when he's healthy, he'll be a good bet to start five or six times per week in 2020. His ability to compile stats while consistently providing decent batting averages is enough to make him a worthy fantasy option, even in leagues that start only one catcher.
Oct 15 2019Molina went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 7-4 loss to Washington in Game 4 of the NLCS. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The home run came in the fourth inning off of Washington starter Patrick Corbin, who had struck out nine of the 13 hitters he had faced prior to Molina's at-bat. Molina, 37, had a very quiet postseason, slashing just .152/.216/.242 in 33 at-bats with just the one extra-base hit. His power numbers had already slipped during the regular season, including a .399 slugging percentage, indicating his days as an upper-tier fantasy catcher may be behind him.
Sep 25 2019Molina is not starting Wednesday against the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina will give way to Matt Wieters behind the dish for Wednesday's series finale after playing all 19 innings in Tuesday's 3-2 loss, going 2-for-8 with a double and four strikeouts.
Sep 23 2019Molina went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and four RBI to help the Cardinals to a 9-7 victory over the Diamondbacks on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The backstop reached double-digit homers for the sixth time in his career with this fifth-inning two-run blast off Alex Young. Molina has been hot lately, with two long balls and three multi-hit efforts over his last four games, but the 37-year-old still sports an unspectacular .270/.308/.403 slash line across 109 games.
Sep 21 2019Molina went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's 9-8 victory over the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina connected off Craig Kimbrel's first pitch leading off the ninth inning to tie the score 8-8 for the catcher's ninth long ball of the season. The 37-year-old had been struggling in September, as coming into the game he was 16-for-66 (.242) for the month with no homers and three RBI. Molina now holds a .270/.310/.398 slash line with 52 RBI in 392 at-bats this season.
Sep 17 2019Molina, who went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in a win over the Nationals on Monday, is hitting just .196 (10-for-51) with three doubles, one RBI, four walks and five runs over 56 plate appearances in September. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Molina headed into the month with a hot bat, as he'd generated a .333 average across 68 August plate appearances over 17 games. The veteran backstop has clearly hit the skids since the calendar flipped, however, and he hasn't laced any extra-base hits in his last eight games.
Sep 12 2019Molina is not in Thursday's lineup against the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He is hitting .243 with zero home runs in 10 games this month. Andrew Knizner will start behind the dish while hitting seventh.
Sep 1 2019Molina is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Reds.
Aug 31 2019Molina is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Reds.
Aug 27 2019Molina went 3-for-3 with a double, two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Brewers.
Aug 24 2019Molina went 3-for-5 with a run in a win over the Rockies on Friday.
Aug 21 2019Molina went 2-for-3 with an RBI single, two walks and a run in a win over the Brewers on Tuesday.
Aug 17 2019Molina is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds.
Aug 12 2019The Cardinals activated Molina (thumb) from the 10-day injured list Monday.
Aug 11 2019Molina, who went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts for Double-A Springfield against Arkansas on Sunday, is likely to be activated prior to Tuesday's game against the
Aug 9 2019Molina (thumb) will likely be activated during next week's series in Kansas City, Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Aug 8 2019Molina (thumb) went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Double-A Springfield's loss to Arkansas on Thursday.
Aug 7 2019Molina (thumb) will play his first rehab game with Double-A Springfield on Thursday, Wyatt D. Wheeler of the Springfield News-Leader reports.
Aug 6 2019Molina (thumb) will be re-evaluated Tuesday before continuing his rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Aug 5 2019Molina (thumb) went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and four RBI overall for Triple-A Memphis in a win over El Paso on Monday.
Aug 4 2019Molina (thumb) and the Cardinals have agreed he will not return during the upcoming series against the Dodgers that runs through Wednesday, Derrick Goold of the St.
Aug 1 2019Molina (thumb) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Friday, David Solomon of 590 The Fan reports.
Jul 30 2019Molina had his thumb reimaged Monday and received a positive evaluation from team doctors, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Jul 27 2019Molina (thumb) is still experiencing discomfort in his thumb when gripping a bat and will be reevaluated Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Jul 27 2019Molina (thumb) is still experiencing discomfort in his thumb when gripping a bat and will be reevaluated Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 26 2019Molina is still experiencing discomfort in his right hand and is scheduled to see a hand specialist, David Solomon of 590 The Fan<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 26 2019Molina (thumb) will be examined by the team's medical staff at Busch Stadium on Friday, Jake Crouse of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 18 2019Molina (thumb) is scheduled to be reevaluated by the team's medical staff on approximately July 29, and the results will determine when the veteran will begin his rehab assignment, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 11 2019Molina (thumb) is expected to miss the next three weeks, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 11 2019Molina was placed on the 10-day injured list<\/a> Thursday due to a right thumb tendon strain, retroactive to Monday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 7 2019Molina (thumb) is not in the lineup<\/a> for Sunday's game at San Francisco.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 6 2019Molina, who's been out of the lineup for the last three games, is still experiencing discomfort in his thumb when he grips and swings a bat, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 6 2019Molina is not in the lineup for Saturday's game at San Francisco, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 5 2019Molina remains out of the lineup<\/a> for Friday's game against the Giants.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 4 2019Molina is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Mariners, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 30 2019Molina is out of the lineup<\/a> for Sunday's game at San Diego.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 29 2019Molina went 3-for-4 with a run in a loss to the Padres on Friday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 24 2019Molina went 2-for-4 with a run in a loss to the Angels on Sunday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 20 2019Molina went 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a walk Thursday against Miami.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 19 2019Molina is not in the lineup<\/a> Wednesday against the Marlins.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 12 2019Molina went 2-for-5 with a double and a run in a win over the Marlins on Tuesday, his first game back after an 11-game absence due to a thumb injury.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 11 2019Molina (thumb) was activated<\/a> from the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday's game against the Marlins.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 10 2019Molina (thumb) could return from the 10-day injured list against the Mets this weekend, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 9 2019Molina (thumb) will join the Cardinals in Miami on Monday and may take batting practice, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 7 2019Molina (thumb) is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list Saturday but has not yet been cleared for baseball activities, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 31 2019Molina was placed on the 10-day injured list<\/a> with a right thumb tendon strain Friday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 31 2019Molina has a slight tear between his right thumb and forefinger and will visit a specialist Friday evening, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 30 2019Molina (thumb) is out of the lineup<\/a> for Thursday's game against the Phillies.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 29 2019Molina is not in the lineup<\/a> Wednesday against the Phillies.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 29 2019Molina (hand) is not in the lineup<\/a> Wednesday against the Phillies.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 28 2019Molina (thumb) is catching and batting sixth<\/a> Tuesday against the Phillies.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 26 2019Molina bruised his right thumb during Sunday's game against the Braves, though he expects to play Tuesday in Philadelphia, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 22 2019Molina is not in the lineup<\/a> for the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Royals.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 19 2019Molina went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI groundout in a win over the Rangers on Saturday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 14 2019Molina went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Tuesday's 14-3 win over the Braves.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 9 2019Molina went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, scoring three times in a blowout victory over the Pirates on Thursday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 6 2019Molina went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in Monday's 6-0 win over the Phillies.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 6 2019Molina went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in a loss to the Cubs on Sunday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 22 2018Molina went 2-for-5 with a double in Sunday's 7-2 loss to the Cubs.Molina now has a pair of multi-hit games already since the All-Star break, going 6-for-14 with four walks in the series against the Cubs. The 36-year-old backstop owns a .283/.332/.480 slash line, 13 long balls and 42 RBI across 271 plate appearances.
Jul 21 2018Molina is not starting the back half of Saturday's doubleheader against the Cubs.Molina went 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly in the day's first game. Francisco Pena will start at catcher in the nightcap.
Jul 19 2018Molina went 4-for-5 with a pair of runs scored in Thursday's loss to the Cubs.Molina caused trouble for Cubs pitchers all day, though hitting from his new second spot in the order meant that none of hits resulted in RBI. He's on a roll at the plate lately, going 16-for-44 (.363) over his last 11 games.
Jul 11 2018Molina (shoulder) went 0-for-3 with a walk, run and RBI in the Cardinals' 14-2 win over the White Sox on Tuesday.Molina was on the bench for two games with a shoulder stinger before re-entering the starting nine Tuesday. He only played six innings in his return to the lineup before giving way to backup Francisco Pena, but Molina's early departure was likely just a byproduct of the Cardinals holding a nine-run lead at the time. Expect Molina to be behind the plate again in the series finale Wednesday.
Jul 10 2018Molina (shoulder) is back in the lineup Tuesday against the White Sox.Molina suffered a stinger in his right shoulder Friday and sat out the team's next two games, but the injury was apparently not a serious one as he's now back in action. He'll get the start behind the plate, batting fifth.
Jul 8 2018Molina (stinger) remains out of the lineup Sunday against the Giants, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina remains day-to-day with what the Cardinals are referring to as a "stinger." He sat out Saturday due to the injury, and with a team day off on the schedule Monday, Molina will sit Sunday as well as a way to get an extended break. As a result, Francisco Pena will make his second consecutive start in the series finale, doing so for the first time since Molina came off the DL.
Jul 7 2018Molina is out of Saturday's lineup due to a stinger in his right shoulder, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.Molina suffered the injury Friday night but it apparently isn't considered serious. The 35-year-old could take Sunday off as well with a scheduled off day to follow on Monday, but at this point he's not expected to head to the disabled list.
Jul 7 2018Molina is not in the lineup for Saturday's game at San Francisco.Molina was 8-for-17 over the last four games prior to going 0-for-4 Friday, and will have a rare day off Saturday. Francisco Pena will catch Carlos Martinez and bat eighth, with Molina likely back in the saddle Sunday.
Jul 5 2018Molina went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in a win over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.The Cardinals put a five-spot on the Diamondbacks in the seventh, capped off by Molina's 371-foot shot to right that brought home Tommy Pham and Marcell Ozuna. The backstop has now gone deep in two of his last three games, already racking up six RBI in the new month in the process. Molina's 13 homers on the season qualify as the third-highest total of his career, and he's only five short of the 18 he hit last season in 321 additional plate appearances.
Jul 3 2018Molina went 2-for-4 with three RBI from a solo home run and a two-run single and also scored twice overall in a win over the Diamondbacks on Monday.Molina tagged Robbie Ray for one of two homers the left-hander gave up in the sixth inning, sending a 391-foot shot to left. The veteran has now hit safely in four of his last five games, although Monday's round tripper was his first extra-base hit in the last six contests.
Jul 1 2018Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Braves.Molina is rarely held out, even for a 35-year-old backstop that has missed time due to injury this year. Sunday will mark his first day off since June 7, as he'll concede catching duties to Francisco Pena.
Jun 23 2018Molina went 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI and two runs scored Saturday against the Brewers.This was Molina's second two-homer effort in his past four games, bringing his season total to 11. His first homer came off Chase Anderson in the second inning -- a solo shot -- and he followed that up with a two-run blast in the sixth inning. Despite missing nearly a month of action due to injury, Molina is on pace to surpass his 18 home runs from last season and is slugging an impressive .506 through 170 at-bats.
Jun 20 2018Molina went 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Phillies.His blasts off Jake Arrieta in the second and sixth innings accounted for all of the Cards' offense, and Molina now has nine homers on the year. His .273/.314/.478 slash line through 44 games has him on pace for his best SLG since 2012, without ant loss in BA or OBP.
Jun 18 2018Molina went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, a walk and two runs scored Monday against the Phillies.Molina blasted a solo homer in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to two, and although the Cardinals would take a one-run lead in the top of the tenth, Philadelphia would rally to earn the victory. He's 5-for-11 over his last four games, totaling two RBI, four walks and three extra-base hits over that span.
Jun 7 2018Molina is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against Miami.Molina will receive a standard day off after starting the past two games. During those outings, he's gone 1-for-7 with one RBI, but more importantly, he's looked good physically following a prolonged stint on the DL (groin). In his place, Francisco Pena will catch Miles Mikolas.
Jun 6 2018Molina went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in a loss to the Marlins on Tuesday.Activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, Molina made a splash in his first at-bat by singling in Marcell Ozuna to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead. The veteran backstop had reached safely in five straight games at the time of his groin injury on May 5, and he was able to extend that streak in Tuesday's return. Apparently back at full health, Molina looks set to resume his customary everyday role.
Jun 5 2018Molina (groin) was activated from the 10-day disabled list Tuesday.As expected, Molina is back with the Cardinals after spending a month on the disabled list with a groin injury. The backstop went 0-for-5 in a pair of rehab games with Double-A Springfield over the weekend, clearing the way for him to return in time to serve as the battery mate for Carlos Martinez (lat), who is also returning from the disabled list. Molina was hitting .272/.292/.456 with six homers prior to landing on the disabled list. Carson Kelly was sent to the minors in a corresponding roster move.
Jun 3 2018Molina (groin) went 0-for-5 with a sacrifice fly over his two rehab games with Double-A Springfield over the weekend, while also getting hit by a pitch. He remains on track to be activated for Tuesday's game against the Marlins, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.Molina caught five innings as planned Saturday and then worked eight innings behind the dish Sunday. With no reported setbacks, he's on track to be activated prior to Tuesday's game versus Miami, just in time to serve as a battery mate for the returning Carlos Martinez (lat).
Jun 1 2018Molina (groin) is on track to be activated ahead of Tuesday's game against the Marlins, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.He expects to catch a half game Saturday with Double-A Springfield and then again Sunday. If all goes well, Molina and Carlos Martinez (lat) will be activated and in action against Miami. Molina was hitting .272/.292/.456 with six home runs in 30 games before hitting the DL in early May.
May 31 2018Molina (groin) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Saturday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina resumed baseball activities earlier in the week, and his injured groin apparently responded well to the increased activity, clearing the way for him to embark on a rehab stint. He'll likely play two or three games in the minors before being reevaluated. Barring any setbacks in his return to game action, Molina looks on track to be activated sometime in early-to-mid June. Carson Kelly and Francisco Pena will continue to fill in behind the dish for the Cardinals until the veteran backstop is healthy.
May 30 2018Molina (groin) was cleared to continue baseball activities Wednesday, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.Molina was seen participating in drills Tuesday, so it comes as no surprise that he was cleared for baseball activities. He'll likely begin a minor-league rehab stint in the near future, and he hopes to return from the disabled list around early-to-mid June.
May 29 2018Molina (groin) has begun doing light drills in catcher's gear and easing into some pregame work, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina recently posted video of his workouts in full catcher's regalia on his personal Instagram account. The veteran backstop had also joined his teammates on the field for light workouts during the team's most recent home stand. Molina was originally estimated to need at least four weeks of recovery following emergency surgery to address the traumatic hematoma he sustained on a foul tip off the bat of Kris Bryant on May 6. He appears to be more or less on schedule, although he'll presumably require a minor-league rehab assignment before being cleared for a return to action.
May 23 2018Molina (groin) was able to complete some light activity on the field prior to the Cardinals' game Tuesday against the Royals, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina is scheduled to visit a doctor Thursday, with that meeting expected to provide more clarity regarding when the backstop will be able to ramp up his on-field workouts. The 35-year-old is on the mend after requiring emergency surgery two weeks ago to relieve a hematoma in his groin.
May 21 2018Molina (groin) is scheduled to see a doctor Thursday to help determine when he might able to resume physical activity, Sean Collins of MLB.com reports.The Cardinals are trying to get some guidance on when the veteran backstop might be able do anything more than just completely rest, which has been the norm thus far. Molina is still reportedly far removed from being able to return to game action, but Thursday's evaluation should provide further clarity on when his rehabilitation process might begin.
May 6 2018Molina (groin) has been placed on the 10-day disabled list, and the Cardinals expect the backstop to miss "at least four weeks."Molina exited Saturday's game after taking a foul tip to the groin region, and it was later revealed that he required emergency surgery and would miss at least a month. Per Joe Trezza of MLB.com, the team is calling it a "pelvic injury with traumatic hematoma." While Molina is on the shelf, look for Francisco Pena to see plenty of reps behind the plate. Carson Kelly was also recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
May 6 2018Molina (groin) was released from the hospital Sunday after undergoing emergency surgery, Jose de Jesus Ortiz and Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch report.Molina was able to walk gingerly in the hours following his surgery after returning home. Although this is positive sign, he'll likely require at least a month to recover before he returns to the field.
May 6 2018Molina underwent surgery Saturday after being hit in the groin area by a foul ball earlier in the day in the Cardinals' 8-6 win over the Cubs, Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak relayed that Molina would be sidelined for at least a month while recovering from surgery.Molina was in serious pain after suffering the injury in the nith inning Saturday and had difficulty walking to the dugout when he was removed from the contest. Francisco Pena came on to replace Molina and should see his opportunities increase while the eight-time All-Star is out, but Pena will likely be forced to compete for at-bats with Carson Kelly, the organization's top catching prospect. Kelly was scratched from his game at Triple-A Memphis on Saturday after news of Molina's injury surfaced, suggesting the 23-year-old will receive an official promotion Sunday while Molina presumably heads to the 10-day disabled list.
May 5 2018Molina exited Saturday's extra-inning win over the Cubs in the ninth inning after taking a foul tip to the groin region, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.The impact was severe, considering the foul ball came on a 101.5 mph fastball off the bat of Kris Bryant. Molina remained on the field for several minutes while huddling with the Cardinals training staff before exiting the game. The veteran backstop is considered day-to-day, but Trezza notably reports that Carson Kelly, the organization's top catching prospect, was a late scratch from Triple-A Memphis' Saturday night game against Nashville in anticipation of a potential callup.
May 2 2018Molina went 2-for-4 with a game-winning RBI single in a win over the White Sox on Tuesday.The veteran backstop roped a hit to deep left with one out in the ninth, plating Marcell Ozuna with the winning run. Molina had recently been mired in an 0-for-16 slump over a four-game stretch, but he's shown signs of life over the last two outings by going 3-for-7 with Tuesday's RBI.
Apr 26 2018Molina is out of the lineup against the Mets on Thursday.Molina will head to the bench for the getaway matinee outing against New York while Francisco Pena draws a start behind the plate. Through 22 games, Molina is hitting a robust .294/.311/.541 with six home runs and 16 RBI. Expect him back in the lineup for Friday's series opener in Pittsburgh.
Apr 23 2018Molina went 3-for-4 with an RBI from a sacrifice fly while also smacking a double and scoring twice in a win over the Reds on Sunday.The red-hot backstop was at it again in the series finale against the Reds, finishing off a stellar three-game set. Molina went 6-for-11 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI, a walk and three runs during that stretch, bumping his average from .277 to .316 in the process. Moreover, with yet another RBI on Sunday, Molina pushed his team-leading total to 16.
Apr 21 2018Molina went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's victory over the Reds.After the Cardinals' bullpen blew a 3-0 lead, Molina took Cincinnati reliever Jared Hughes deep in the seventh inning to break the tie and ultimately win the game for St. Louis. The veteran backstop has been on fire to start the season, as he's now hitting .292 with six homers and 15 RBI on the season.
Apr 21 2018Molina went 1-for-4 with an RBI ground-rule double in a win over the Reds on Friday.The two runs he pushed through takes Molina's April total to an impressive 12 RBI, a number he's partly accomplished by also smacking four of his five home runs on the season during the same stretch. The ageless backstop has hit safely in five of his last seven overall and is already generating the caliber of production that he's made the norm over his long career.
Apr 15 2018Molina went 2-for-3 with one RBI in Sunday's victory over the Reds.The 35-year-old backstop continued his terrific run production Sunday as he drove in his 12th run of the year. Since the start of the season he's hit .288 and hit five home runs. However, over 15 games he's drawn just one walk, resulting in his on-base percentage sitting at just .295.
Apr 14 2018Molina went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in Friday's win over the Reds.Molina hit a solo-shot off of Reds' starter Tyler Mahle in the second, and then knocked the right-hander out of the game in the sixth with a two-run single. Molina now has five home runs on the season, effectively leading all major-league catchers in the category. That pace isn't expected to keep, but Molina is off to a nice start, batting .288 with 11 RBI in 13 games.
Apr 12 2018Molina went 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored Thursday against the Reds.Molina returned from his one game suspension in style, hitting his fourth home run of the season. Last season, he managed a .541 slugging percentage against left-handed pitching as opposed to just a .411 mark against right-handers. However, three of his four home runs have come against right-handed pitching this season, certainly making it appear that his continued power surge is legitimate.
Apr 12 2018Molina (suspension) will start at catcher and bat sixth against the Reds on Thursday.Molina served his one-game suspension during Wednesday's loss to the Brewers, but he was likely to have to have the day off regardless after catching all 11 innings Tuesday. The 35-year-old has a respectable start to the season with a .256/.267/.488 slash line and three home runs in 43 at-bats.
Apr 11 2018Molina will be serving his one-game suspension during Wednesday's series finale against the Brewers, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.Molina elected to take his suspension that stemmed from an incident with Diamondbacks' manager Torey Lovullo for Wednesday's contest against Milwaukee since he was expected to have the day off anyways. Expect to see him return to the lineup against the Reds on Thursday.
Apr 11 2018Molina is out of the starting nine versus Milwaukee on Wednesday, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.Molina will head to the bench for the first time this season as Francisco Pena draws the start behind the dish during the series finale. Over the first 11 games of the year, Molina is hitting .256/.267/.488 with three home runs and six RBI.
Apr 10 2018Molina has been suspended for one game for his actions in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks, Jon Heyman of FanRagSports.com reports.Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was also handed a one-game suspension by MLB. Molina has already appealed the decision, and he'll be eligible to play until his appeal is heard. He's starting at catcher and hitting fifth Tuesday.
Apr 4 2018Molina went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Brewers.The veteran backstop already has three homers through six games to begin the campaign, as he looked to prove last season's 18 home runs and career-high 82 RBI were no fluke. Molina's been hitting sixth for the Cards, but that's not necessarily the liability it seems as long as Marcell Ozuna and Jose Martinez are ahead of him in the batting order and providing him with plenty of RBI opportunities.
Apr 2 2018Molina went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Mets.That's two round trippers in the first three games for Molina, who'd compiled the second-best long-ball total (18) of his extensive career last season. Molina enjoyed his exposure to Mets pitching during the season-opening series, going 4-for-12 with two homers, three RBI and a walk over the three-game set.
Mar 30 2018Molina went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Thursday's 9-4 Opening Day loss to the Mets.He got to Noah Syndergaard early, opening the scoring for the Cardinals with a 370-foot blast to left in the second that gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead at the time. It's an auspicious start to the season for the seemingly ageless veteran, who blasted the second-most homers of his career (18) during his age-34 season in 2017.
Mar 14 2018Molina went 2-for-3 with two RBI from a run-scoring double and a sacrifice fly in Tuesday's 11-4 Grapefruit League win over the Marlins. He also scored once.It was a welcome breakout at the plate for the veteran backstop, who'd entered the game having hit safely just four times in 21 spring at-bats. Molina has been progressively coming on, however, as three of those hits had come in the four games prior to Tuesday, as had three of the four RBI he'd notched as well. The 35-year-old is slated for yet another heavy workload behind the dish in the coming season and will look to build on the 18 home runs and career-best 82 RBI he contributed in 2017.
Mar 5 2018Molina is slashing .167/.231/.417 with a solo home run, a walk and two runs over 13 plate appearances in five spring training games.The ageless backstop is coming off a 2017 campaign in which he experienced a surprise resurgence in power, posting the second-highest home run total (18) of his career and best since the 2012 season. Molina accompanied the long-ball haul with a career-best 82 RBI and even swiped nine bases, equaling the second-highest total of his long major-league tenure in that category as well. Having recently announced plans to play through 2020, Molina appears slated to catch another 130-140 games in the coming season, as has been the norm for the majority of his career.
Jan 16 2018Molina, who will turn 36 during the 2018 season, says he plans to retire after the 2020 season, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.He plans to play out a three-year, $60 million extension that begins this season and then ride off into the sunset. This is obviously not a done deal, as Molina could opt to continue playing after the 2020 season, particularly if he feels good physically and is coming off a productive campaign. However, with catching prospects Carson Kelly, who is already big-league ready, and Andrew Knizner on track to be ready to take over in a couple years, it will likely be a mutual parting of the ways after the 2020 season. Coming off an impressive 2017 season, Molina's current NFBC ADP (149.5) ranks sixth among catchers.
Jan 16 2018Molina says he plans to retire after the 2020 season, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.He plans to play out a three-year, $60 million extension that begins this season and then ride off into the sunset. This is obviously not a done deal, as Molina could opt to continue playing after the 2020 season, particularly if he feels good physically and is coming off a productive campaign. However, with catching prospects Carson Kelly, who is already big-league ready, and Andrew Knizner on track to be ready to take over in a couple years, it will likely be a mutual parting of the ways after the 2020 season. Coming off an impressive 2017 season, Molina's current NFBC ADP (149.5) ranks sixth among catchers.
Sep 29 2017Molina (concussion) will be shut down for the rest of the season following the Cardinals' elimination from playoff contention, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Molina has missed the past three games leading into Friday's series opener with Milwaukee, and instead of rushing him back onto the field, manager Mike Matheny has elected to be cautious and shut the catcher down. Over the course of the 2017 season, Molina slashed .273/.312/.439 with 18 home runs and 82 RBI in 136 games.
Sep 29 2017Molina (concussion) is not in the lineup against the Brewers on Friday, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Molina will miss a fourth straight game as he continues to recover from a concussion, while Carson Kelly takes over the catching duties for the series opener. Looking ahead, it appears as though Molina is still trying to get back on the field for one of the weekend contests, but with the Cardinals now out of playoff contention, manager Mike Matheny may choose to shut Molina down.
Sep 28 2017Molina (concussion) is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Cubs, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina is still hopeful of returning to action this season, but he'll remain sidelined for a third straight game as he continues to go through concussion protocol. There will hopefully be a clearer idea regarding his status for the weekend after he goes through another round of concussion testing Thursday. In the meantime, Carson Kelly will continue to start behind the dish for the Cardinals.
Sep 28 2017Molina (head) will undergo another round of concussion testing Thursday, Jenifer Langsoch of MLB.com reports.Molina is still hopeful of taking the field again this season. The veteran backstop has been out since having to exit Monday's game against the Cubs after back-to-back foul balls ricocheted off his mask.
Sep 26 2017Molina (head) hopes to play again before the season ends, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina will take at least a couple days off after being struck in the mask by back-to-back pitches in Monday's game, but he believes he could be back in action as soon as Thursday.
Sep 26 2017Molina (head) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Cubs.It's not clear where Molina stands in the concussion protocol after taking two foul balls off his catcher's mask in Monday's game, but he will not start Tuesday. Carson Kelly will get the nod behind the plate in Molina's place.
Sep 25 2017Molina left Monday's game after taking consecutive foul balls off his mask, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Hopefully, the Cardinals are just playing it safe here. However, consecutive hits to the head can compound the effect of a brain injury, so this is a scary situation for Molina. Expect him to go through concussion protocol and consider him day-to-day until it is complete.
Sep 24 2017Molina is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.Molina will be afforded a day of rest for the first time since Sept. 6. The veteran backstop is hitting .243 during the month of September and will be replaced behind the plate by Carson Kelly, who will bat eighth in the order.
Sep 22 2017Molina went 1-for-2 with two RBI from a run-scoring double and a sacrifice fly in Thursday's 8-5 win over the Reds. He also walked twice and scored once.Molina now has seven RBI over the last three games, giving him 22 through 18 September contests. It's the best monthly figure in that category for the veteran backstop and also pushes him to a career-best 82 on the season. The 35-year-old also retains an outside chance of at least matching his high-water mark of 22 home runs, a figure he reached in 2012.
Sep 20 2017Molina went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer against the Reds on Tuesday.His last four games had seen the veteran catcher go just 1-for-15, but no slump has lasted long for Molina this year, as the 35-year-old catcher is incredibly putting together one of the best seasons of his career at the plate. With 18 homers, he's now four shy of his career-best 22, and he's only two short of his career high in RBI (80).
Sep 12 2017Molina went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and three RBI Tuesday against the Reds.Molina turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead with a first-inning double and added an RBI single in the sixth. The veteran catcher is in the midst of another fine two-way campaign, as he's in contention for his ninth gold glove since 2008 and is slashing .282/.319/.448 while usually batting fifth in the order for St. Louis.
Sep 11 2017Molina went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run and five RBI during Sunday's win over Pittsburgh.Molina also homered in Saturday's game and is now up to 17 homers, 72 RBI, eight stolen bases and 57 runs with a .280/.316/.445 slash line. With consistent playing time and a spot in the middle of the St. Louis lineup, Molina is positioned to finish the season on a high note and turn in another strong fantasy showing.
Sep 9 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer Saturday during the Cardinals' 4-3 win over the Pirates.It marked Molina's 16th blast of the year. The defensive whiz continues to pile up at-bats with a useful batting average (.277) while also delivering his best power season since 2012, when he left the yard 22 times. He's also back to attempting steals, going 8-for-12 on the year. He remains a steady -- and often great -- backstop for fantasy production.
Sep 6 2017Molina is out of Wednesday's lineup against the Padres.He takes a seat after starting the last seven games and hitting .231 over that stretch. Carson Kelly starts behind the dish, hitting seventh.
Sep 5 2017Molina, who went 1-for-4 with a two-run single in Monday's 2-0 win over the Padres, has hit safely in five of six games since returning from a one-game absence due to an abdomen injury.The veteran backstop missed last Tuesday's tilt against the Brewers with the ailment, but didn't miss a beat at the plate upon returning. Molina's fourth-inning single was responsible for all the scoring on either side Monday, and his 64 RBI on the season is his best total since 2013.
Aug 30 2017Molina (abdomen) will be in Wednesday's lineup against the Brewers, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Molina was a late scratch from Tuesday's starting nine while dealing with right lower abdominal soreness, but the catcher will return to his typical position for the second contest of a two-game set in Milwaukee. The 35-year-old has recorded a hit in nine of his past 10 games, and is batting .359/.381/.564 with one home run and six RBI during that span.
Aug 29 2017Molina (undisclosed) was a late scratch from Tuesday's lineup, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.It is unclear why he was scratched, but Carson Kelly figures to get the rare start in his place. For now, consider Molina day-to-day and make sure he is out of daily lineups.
Aug 29 2017Molina was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with right lower abdominal soreness, Derrick Goold of the St. Loius Post-Dispatch reports.He apparently was bothered by the ailment when working out pregame. Carson Kelly, who is getting the start at catcher and hitting eighth, will get the bulk of the work behind the dish if Molina's injury lingers. Molina was hitting .304 with six home runs and three steals in 138 at-bats since the All-Star break.
Aug 23 2017Molina went 2-for-2 with a double, a solo home run, a walk and two runs in Tuesday's 12-4 loss to the Padres.All of the Cardinals' runs came from homers, with Molina contributing his 15th of the season in the sixth and knotting the score at 4-4 at the time. The ageless backstop's impressive August includes a .333/.380/.652 line that's partly comprised of seven multi-hit efforts, 11 extra-base hits (six doubles, five homers) and 12 RBI.
Aug 21 2017Molina went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs in Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Pirates.Molina seems to only be getting better as the season moves toward the stretch run. Factoring in Sunday's production, he now has six multi-hit efforts in August, which has helped produce a .313/.353/.578 line for the month. Molina's 14 home runs equal the second-best total of his long career, while his current 36.3 percent hard contact rate serves as the highest of his 13-plus seasons.
Aug 19 2017Molina is out of Saturday's lineup against the Pirates, Derrick Goold of the St. Loius Post-Dispatch reports.He has only not appeared in three games since the All-Star break, and is hitting .283/.319/.469 with five home runs and three steals in 113 at-bats over that span. Carson Kelly starts behind the dish and will hit eighth.
Aug 13 2017Molina is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Braves.Hitless in his last nine at-bats, Molina will head to the bench in what appears to be a scheduled day of rest. Carson Kelly draws the start at catcher and will bat seventh.
Aug 10 2017Molina went 1-for-4 against the Royals on Wednesday, with the one hit a sixth-inning grand slam that provided the winning margin.The Cardinals trailed 5-4 when the veteran catcher stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, but he flipped the script with one swing of the bat. Molina's last eight games have seen him rip off 11 hits in 26 at-bats (.423) -- four of those have been homers, and he's collected nine RBI and 10 runs in that span. He's now tied the second-highest homer total of his career (14), and while it's quite unlikely that he'll match the 22 he mashed in 2012, Molina's age-34 campaign (he's actually 35 now) has nonetheless been remarkably productive.
Aug 9 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with three RBI from a two-run single and a solo home run in Tuesday's 10-3 win over the Royals. He scored twice overall.The ageless backstop has three straight two-hit efforts and is sporting a .423/.483/.846 line through his first eight contests of August. Those impressive numbers partly consist of three round trippers, a surge that has Molina's season homer total at its highest since 2011.
Aug 4 2017Molina was held out of Friday's series opener against the Reds.Molina will receive a day off after starting the past six behind the plate, and taking the brunt of some unlucky breaks during Thursday's loss in Milwaukee. The catcher was struck in the back of his mask during Domingo Santana's backswing, as well as taking a foul ball to the chin of the mask earlier in the contest. In his place, Carson Kelly draws the start, batting fifth.
Aug 2 2017Molina went 3-for-4 with a double and two solo homers Wednesday in Milwaukee.All three of Molina's hits came off left-handed starter Brent Suter, as the veteran catcher has now hit five of his 12 home runs against southpaws. Molina entered play with just one home run since June 21, but he now has multi-hit performances in five of the past eight games.
Jul 27 2017Molina is out of the lineup Thursday against the Diamondbacks.Molina hits the bench after starting the past five games behind the plate, with multi-hit days during the last three contests. The catcher should slot back into the lineup for Friday's affair, while Carson Kelly sets up behind the plate during the series opener in his stead.
Jul 27 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with a two-run double and a run in Wednesday's 10-5 win over the Rockies.That's three straight two-hit efforts for Molina, who's hit safely in four straight overall. The 35-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down in 2017, slugging double-digit home runs for the first time since 2013 while posting his best stolen-base total since 2012.
Jul 25 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with a stolen base against the Cardinals on Tuesday.He's got seven steals now -- that's a five-year high, putting him on pace to challenge his career-best mark of 12. It's shocking to see a 35-year-old catcher posting even this modest steal total, but Molina's always full of surprises. After all, he's already cracked double-digit homers for the first time in four seasons. Molina may not be the most exciting name at catcher anymore, but he's still providing fantasy-relevant offense.
Jul 22 2017Molina (ankle) will return to the lineup Saturday against the Cubs, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.He was a last-minute scratch from Friday's lineup, but it would seem the discomfort in Molina's ankle has subsided for the most part. The 35-year-old has hit safely in seven of his last eight games and he's already exceeded his home run totals from each of the past three seasons. His playing time isn't in question even with Carson Kelly now on the roster.
Jul 21 2017Molina was scratched from the lineup ahead of Friday's game with the Cubs, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina was originally slotted in as the starting catcher, but when the Cardinals took the field in the bottom of the first, Carson Kelly was behind the plate. Alaina Getzenberg of MLB.com reports that Yadi is experiencing some ankle discomfort, although the severity is unknown. Consider the veteran day-to-day for right now. Kelly should continue to see most of the reps behind the dish until Molina is good to go again.
Jul 20 2017Molina is not in the starting lineup Thursday against the Mets.Molina hasn't had a day off since June, but will take a seat Thursday for a day game immediately following an evening contest. Eric Fryer will man the backstop in his stead.
Jul 19 2017Molina went 1-for-4 with an RBI single and a walk in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Mets.The veteran backstop closed out the scoring on the night with a seventh-inning hit that plated Tommy Pham, his seventh RBI of July. Molina has shown no signs of slowing down in his age-35 season, already having hit his most homers (10) since 2013 and remaining on pace to eclipse 60 RBI for the fifth time in his long career.
Jul 16 2017Molina went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh.The veteran is turning in another serviceable campaign with a .265/.297/.412 slash line, 10 homers, 41 RBI, five stolen bases and 31 runs. Molina also owns a high fantasy floor because of his hefty workload behind the plate and spot in the heart of the St. Louis lineup.
Jul 12 2017Molina hit a solo home run and walked in two plate appearances in the National League's 2-1 loss to the American League in Tuesday's All-Star Game.Molina's career-long success at the Midsummer Classic continued with his 385-foot shot to right center in the sixth, which knotted the game at 1-1 at the time. The veteran backstop enters the second half with a .270/.303/.411 line and his best home-run total (nine) since 2013, while his 40 RBI also puts him on pace to match or potentially eclipse the career-high 80 he tallied in that same campaign.
Jul 4 2017Molina went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three RBI and a run during Monday's win over Miami.Molina's on pace to have his best fantasy season since 2013 and is up to nine home runs, 38 RBI, 30 runs and a .277/.310/.427 slash line. He'll continue to provide a high floor because of his hefty workload behind the plate, and Molina is also locked into the heart of the St. Louis lineup. The 34-year-old veteran is showing no signs of slowing down.
Jul 1 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with four RBI from a pair of two-run singles in Friday's 8-1 win over the Nationals. He also scored once.The ageless backstop thus wraps up June riding a season-high 15-game hitting streak and having driven in 12 of his 13 runs for the month in the last 10 games. Molina has boosted his average from .258 to .271 over the current stretch and the nine homers he's already clubbed in 2017 represent his highest total in that category since 2013.
Jun 29 2017Molina is not in the Cardinals' lineup Thursday, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.The backstop has been back in the lineup the last four days after resting knee soreness, but he'll get another break for this afternoon contest. Even while dealing with the physical limitation, Molina has enjoyed a fine June, batting .284/.303/.473 with four home runs and seven RBI in 76 plate appearances.
Jun 26 2017Molina (knee) went 3-for-4 with an RBI single, a double and three runs in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Pirates.After having sat Friday and Saturday with knee soreness, Molina was a last-minute addition to Sunday's lineup and delivered in a notable way. His seventh-inning single snapped a 4-4 tie, and he went on to post his first three-hit game of the season. After knocking in only one run over the first 12 games of June, the veteran backstop has now compiled six RBI over his last six contests and is also riding an 11-game hitting streak.
Jun 25 2017Molina is absent from Sunday's lineup against the Pirates, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina is absent from the Cardinals' lineup for the third-straight day now with what is presumably knee soreness. Eric Fryer will bat eighth and take over behind the dish once again for St. Louis.
Jun 25 2017Molina is now batting fifth and catching Sunday against the Pirates, David Solomon of 550 KTRS reports.Molina was initially absent when the Cardinals posted their lineup earlier in the day, with Eric Fryer catching and batting eighth. He was scratched Friday and Saturday with knee soreness and that was thought to be the reason for his presumed absence Sunday. However, Molina must be feeling well enough now to get the start.
Jun 24 2017Molina has been scratched from Saturday's lineup, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.A reason for Molina's scratch has not yet been provided, but he was scratched Friday due to knee soreness and this is presumably related. Eric Fryer will take over behind the dish and bat eighth.
Jun 24 2017Molina (knee) is starting behind the dish and batting fifth Saturday against the Pirates, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina is back in the starting lineup after being a late scratch from Friday's game due to some lingering knee soreness. The veteran backstop will look to build on his 10-game hitting streak as he faces Gerrit Cole in his return to the lineup.
Jun 23 2017Molina was scratched from Friday's lineup due to knee soreness, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina was originally in the lineup, but he's apparently feeling some lingering soreness after being hit on the knee by a foul ball, prompting the Cardinals to switch in Eric Fryer for the veteran backstop. He should be considered day-to-day for the time being.
Jun 21 2017Molina went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 8-1 extra-inning win over the Phillies.The veteran backstop joined the scoring barrage in the 11th by extending the Cardinals' lead to 5-1 with a 434-foot shot to center. It was Molina's third homer in as many contests and extended his season-best hitting streak to eight games. His nine round trippers also represent his highest total since he hit 12 over 541 plate appearances in 2013.
Jun 19 2017Molina went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Orioles.Molina's hitting streak is up to seven games following Sunday's effort, which featured his second homer in as many games. The 34-year-old is in the midst of his best month of the season, slashing a solid .277/.306/.489 in 49 plate appearances.
Jun 17 2017Molina went 2-for-3 with a solo home run during Saturday's loss to Baltimore.The backstop is turning in another solid fantasy campaign with seven bombs, 24 RBI, 23 runs and a .263 batting average. Molina has also started 55 of 67 games this season, so his fantasy floor remains high among his peers at the catcher position.
Jun 13 2017Molina (back) is starting behind the dish and hitting fifth in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Brewers.He missed three straight games with the back issue, but after Monday's off day, he is ready to return to his duties behind the dish for the matinee against righty Brandon Woodruff, who is making his big-league debut. Look for him to sit in the second half of the twin bill, with Eric Fryer drawing the start against righty Jimmy Nelson.
Jun 13 2017Molina is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Brewers.Molina will head to the bench after working behind the plate for all of Game 1. The backstop went 1-for-4 with a run scored in the earlier game.
Jun 11 2017Molina (back) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.Molina was removed from Friday's lineup with back stiffness and was a late scratch from Saturday's lineup as well. The Cardinals have an off day Monday, so it's possible that Molina will be ready to return Tuesday against the Brewers. Eric Fryer will draw the start in his absence.
Jun 10 2017Molina (back) was scratched from the lineup for the second consecutive game, Fox Sports Midwest's Jim Hayes reports.Molina was originally plugged into the lineup at the catcher's position, but minutes after posting the official card, the Cardinals announced that he would be out yet again. This likely pertains to the back stiffness that he was dealing with Friday which caused him to miss his first game since late May. He should still be considered day-to-day for now, but this is certainly something to keep an eye on.
Jun 10 2017Molina (back) will be in the lineup at catcher for Saturday's game against the Phillies, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Molina was scratched from Friday's affair with lower back stiffness, but the 34-year-old is returning to the lineup in his normal position Saturday. The day off was likely needed for the catcher, as he had played 28 of the past 29 games, while Eric Fryer took over behind the plate in his place.
Jun 9 2017Molina is out of Friday's lineup against Philadelphia with back stiffness, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Considering Molina had played 28 out of the past 29 games for the Cardinals, he may have been due for a rest day anyway. At this point, there's no indication the injury will send Molina to the disabled list, so treat him as day-to-day. Eric Fryer will take his place behind the plate.
Jun 7 2017Molina is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Reds, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.Molina's been in a bit of a funk at the plate as of late, batting just .200 over the past nine games. He'll get a breather Wednesday night with Eric Fryer picking up a start behind the dish in his stead.
Jun 6 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with a double and a run in Monday's 4-2 loss to the Reds.The veteran backstop has a tidy three-game hitting streak and has reached safely in 21 of his last 24 games overall. With six home runs, Molina is also on pace for his best production in that category since 2013. However, a slight bump in strikeout rate from last season's 10.8 percent to 13.5 percent -- as well as a sharp drop in BABIP from .335 to .264 -- have conspired to generate a .255 average that would rank as the 34-year-old's lowest over a full season since 2006.
Jun 3 2017Molina went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk Saturday against the Cubs.Molina's sixth homer of the year extended a Cardinals lead in the sixth inning, though they'd eventually lose the divisional matchup. Unfortunately, the veteran has been a weak fantasy option, though at a thin catcher position, his .250/.293/.394 slash line is still better than many of the other players at his position.
May 31 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with three RBI from a two-run single and solo home run in Tuesday's 9-4 loss to the Dodgers.After only homering once through May 13, Molina now has four round trippers in the subsequent 13 games. He's hit safely in 17 of his last 18 contests overall and has compiled 14 RBI during May after driving in eight in April. Given his iron-man reputation, he continues to draw the majority of starts behind the dish as well, rendering him one of the more viable fantasy options at the catcher position.
May 28 2017Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rockies.Molina, even at age 34, continues to be one of the most frequently used backstops in baseball. He hasn't had a day off since May 6, but will give way to Eric Fryer for the afternoon series finale.
May 25 2017Molina went 1-for-4 with two RBI from a sacrifice fly and a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Dodgers.The veteran backstop extended the Cardinals' lead to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and then launched a 381-foot solo blast in his next at-bat in the seventh. Molina now has a 13-game hitting streak and has reached safely in all 17 contests he's played in during May. He's shown some nice pop during the month as well, smacking three homers overall after hitting just one in April.
May 21 2017Molina went 1-for-4 with a single in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Giants to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.His single came in the third inning, and he has now reached base safely in his last 16 games. Despite the recent hot streak, though, the veteran catcher is only hitting .261 on the season with three long balls and 15 RBI in 154 plate appearances. Aside from a respectable average, Molina doesn't contribute much for fantasy owners offensively these days.
May 14 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBI in Sunday's 5-0 victory over the Cubs.The veteran backstop hit his second homer of the year, a two-run blast, off Jake Arrieta in the third inning to open the scoring. Molina then put the game away with a solo shot, his third of the campaign, off Brian Duensing in the eighth frame. He's now hitting .270 with 14 RBI and 14 runs over 115 at-bats.
May 11 2017Molina went 2-for-5 with an RBI single in Wednesday's 7-5 win over the Marlins.The veteran backstop capped off a three-run third inning for the Cardinals with a hit to center that brought home Matt Carpenter. Molina has hit safely in three straight and six of his last eight games overall, and true to his iron man reputation, has taken very little time off. He's seen action in 28 of the team's 33 games while slashing .262/.322/.350 over 119 plate appearances.
May 6 2017Molina is not in the lineup Saturday against the Braves, David O'Brien of AJC.com reports.Molina will head to the bench after starting the last six games behind the dish for the Cardinals. Eric Fryer will take over as backstop for the contest, while Molina should be back in the lineup for Sunday's series finale.
Apr 27 2017Molina is not in the lineup for the second game of the Cardinals' doubleheader against Toronto.Molina went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader. He'll get some rest during the second as Eric Fryer fills in behind the dish.
Apr 23 2017Molina is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.Following Saturday's impressive performance in which he recorded three hits and raised his season average to .306, Molina will received a day of rest Sunday. Eric Fryer will take over behind the plate.
Apr 17 2017Molina is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.Manager Mike Matheny will award Molina his first day off in four games after the veteran backstop smacked his first homer of the season in Sunday's game against the Yankees. Eric Fryer steps in behind the plate to catch Cardinals starter Lance Lynn.
Apr 17 2017Molina went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 9-3 loss to the Yankees.Molina's round tripper was one of the few bright spots for the Cardinals on Sunday, as their offense continues to struggle as a whole. The veteran backstop hasn't exactly been exempt, as Sunday's blast was only his second extra-base hit of the season and his average still sits at a pedestrian .229. However, given his established track record of success at the plate, it's reasonable to assume that Molina should progressively push his numbers back to his normal levels as the season unfolds.
Apr 12 2017Molina is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Nationals.Eric Fryer will step in behind the plate to catch for starter Mike Leake, as Molina sits for the first time this season. The 34-year-old Molina has gone 7-for-24 (.292 average) with a double, five RBI, four walks and three strikeouts through eight games. He agreed to a three-year extension with St. Louis just prior to Opening Day.
Apr 11 2017Molina is batting third Tuesday against the Nationals.Matt Carpenter, the Cardinals' usual three-hitter, is taking a seat with lefty Gio Gonzalez on the mound for Washington, so Molina will move up in the lineup as a result of his solid start to the season. This new positioning is likely a one-night affair, but it could lead to a few more RBI opportunities for the All-Star backstop if the table-setters consistently get on base ahead of him Tuesday night.
Apr 11 2017Molina went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and run in Monday's 14-6 loss to the Nationals.The veteran backstop has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal start to the season for the Cardinals, as Monday's production brought his average to .318. Molina has hits in three straight games and five of his first seven overall while also walking four times on his way to a .407 OBP.
Apr 7 2017Molina went 0-for-2 with two RBI from a fielder's choice and sacrifice fly, as well as a run and a walk in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Cubs.Molina has had a productive first three games of the season following the signing of a three-year extension on Opening Day, as he's reached safely in each contest and already has three walks to his credit. The veteran backstop looks primed for another solid season at the plate following a 2016 campaign where he posted his best batting average (.307) since 2013 and highest OBP since 2012.
Apr 3 2017Molina went 2-for-3 with two walks in Sunday's 4-3 Opening Day win over the Cubs.Fresh off signing a highly anticipated three-year contract extension earlier Sunday, Molina celebrated by getting on base in all but one of his five plate appearances. The veteran backstop essentially picked up right where he left off last season, when he slashed .307/.360/.427 with 38 doubles, a triple, eight home runs and 58 RBI over 147 games. Even at 34 years of age, Molina figures to start the overwhelming majority of games behind the dish once again this season.
Apr 2 2017Molina and the Cardinals reached an agreement on a three-year contract extension, Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The news is expected to be officially announced Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.Official terms of the deal aren't known, but according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Molina is expected to earn more than $55 million over the course of the deal, which will run through the end of the 2020 season. Though he's about to begin his age-35 season, Molina remains one of the league's more productive backstops at the dish and is regarded an an elite defender. He amassed a .307/.360/.427 batting line in 2016, churning out eight homers and 38 doubles.
Mar 31 2017Updating a previous report, the Cardinals have yet to officially come to terms with Molina on a contract extension, but remain hopeful of doing so before a Sunday night deadline, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The team and player are operating under a deadline of getting a contract extension finalized before Sunday night's season opener versus the Cubs or putting a moratorium on discussions until after the season. While there is a mutual option for the 2018 season under the veteran backstop's current pact, Molina has already expressed an interest in exploring free agency if there is no long-term contract in place by that point. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak remains "hopeful" and "optimistic" about a deal getting done in time, and discussions have apparently reached the point where very specific parameters have already been public; Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday that a three-year extension of between $55 and $65 million was all but done, although that remains premature at this point.
Mar 30 2017Molina agreed to terms on a three-year extension with the Cardinals on Thursday, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports.Molina's new deal will make him the highest-paid catcher in baseball per year, according to Rosenthal, as he'll make anywhere between $55 and $65 million. The 34-year-old Molina has been a staple behind the plate for the Cardinals for years, catching 130-or-more games in seven of the last eight seasons. He's also coming off of one of his best offensive seasons of his career, slashing .307/.360/.427 with 38 doubles in 2016.
Mar 27 2017Molina, playing in his first game since returning from the World Baseball Classic, went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 3-0 Grapefruit League win over the Marlins.The veteran backstop blasted an 0-2 pitch from Marlins starter Wei-Yin Chen over the left-field wall in his first plate appearance, his first homer of the spring. Molina will once again be behind the plate in 2017 for what will be the final season of a five-year, $75 million extension he signed in 2012, while his agent and the Cardinals continue working on coming to terms on an extension before Opening Day as per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Mar 23 2017Molina, who played for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, was a unanimous choice for All-WBC honors, Manny Randhawa of MLB.com reports.The veteran backstop became only the second two-time All-WBC honoree, joining Daisuke Matsuzaka, who accomplished the feat in the 2006 and 2009 editions of the tournament. Molina hit .333 (8-for-24) with two home runs and six RBI over six games. He hopes to bring some of that offensive prowess with him back to Cardinals camp, where he'd hit just .176 (3-for-17) with a double, two RBI, two walks and three runs over seven games before departing for the WBC.
Mar 12 2017Molina is hitting .333 (3-for-9) with a home run, three RBI and three runs for Team Puerto Rico over the first two games of World Baseball Classic play.The veteran backstop blasted a two-run homer off Padres starter Jhoulys Chacin in an 11-0 win over Team Venezuela on Friday, and he singled in a run in five at-bats in Saturday's 9-4 win over Team Mexico. Molina is once again slated to be the Cardinals' primary catcher in 2017 at age 34 after generating an impressive .307/.360/.427 line over 581 plate appearances last season.
Feb 26 2017Molina went 2-for-2 with a single and two-run double in Sunday's 7-4 Grapefruit League win over the Marlins.The veteran backstop, working as a DH on Sunday, drove home Eric Fryer and Aledmys Diaz in the second, giving the Cardinals a 4-0 lead at the time. The ageless Molina will eventually leave camp to play for Team Puerto Rico in the WBC, but is expected to see a solid amount of playing time prior to departing.
Feb 9 2017Molina, who started a career-high 142 games in 2016 and has been named to Team Puerto Rico's roster for this year's WBC, will once again be heavily counted on in 2017, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. "My job description is to win games," (Cardinals manager Mike) Matheny said last month. "And if I have a player that I feel like is going to help us win games and that I feel is able to answer the bell, he's going to be in the lineup."The veteran backstop will turn 35 in July but did nothing to betray his advanced age last season, with his aforementioned 142 starts behind the plate also representing a major league-high figure in 2016. Molina defensive proficiency is above question despite the fact he saw his streak of eight consecutive Gold Gloves snapped last season, but his bat was a valuable asset in 2016 as well. His .307 average, 164 hits and 38 doubles all served as majors-best figures among catchers, while his .365 post-All-Star break average ranked second in all of baseball. Additionally, his eight homers, albeit a modest tally, represented his best figure in that category since 2013. Neither the Cardinals or Molina see any decline on the horizon for the seemingly ageless wonder, with the latter attributing his offseason preparation to keeping him consistent over such an extended period. "That's the goal. That's the goal," Molina said of such sustained production. "That's what the offseason workouts do for you when you do it right. That's my plan in the offseason: to work hard and to try to play as many games as I can and stay healthy."
Sep 24 2016Molina went 3-for-4 with four RBI and a run in a 10-4 victory over the Cubs on Saturday.The veteran backstop opened the scoring in the first with a two-bagger that plated Brandon Moss and Jhonny Peralta and then added a seventh-inning single to drive in Peralta and Tommy Pham. Molina's stellar September includes his current 10-game hitting streak, along with six multihit outings, four doubles, two homers and 12 RBI. The 34-year-old has thrived in the second half of the season and is now hitting .300 for the first time since May 24.
Sep 21 2016Molina is out of Wednesday's lineup against the Rockies, FOX Sports Midwest's Jim Hayes reports.Molina has caught the last nine games and is riding an eight-game hit streak, but he'll take a seat in the day game following Tuesday night's game. Carson Kelly will start behind the dish in his stead.
Sep 11 2016Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Brewers.Molina has started seven consecutive games behind the plate, posting a .333/.357/.556 line with five RBI in that time. He'll head to the bench while Carson Kelly gets the start and hits eighth.
Sep 6 2016Molina went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, two runs and four RBI in Tuesday's 9-7 win at Pittsburgh.All four of Molina's RBI came on a first-inning grand slam off Ryan Vogelsong, but his night was far from over. The veteran catcher picked up three more hits over the course of the contest, and would've hit for the cycle if he had the speed to turn one of his two doubles into a triple. This effort raised Molina's slugging percentage from .403 all the way to .418.
Sep 3 2016Molina is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds.Molina homered in his last two games, but he will get a day off with the Cardinals playing a day game following a night game. Alberto Rosario will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
Aug 31 2016Molina went 2-for-4 with a solo homer -- the Cardinals' only run on the evening -- in Wednesday's loss to Milwaukee.The long ball was only the fifth of the year for Molina, but that's one more than he hit last season. The 34-year-old catcher did, however, reach 30 doubles in Tuesday's game -- only the second time he's done that in his career. His .289 average gives Molina some fantasy value, but his lack of counting stats puts a hard upper limit on his appeal.
Aug 28 2016Molina is out of Sunday's lineup against Oakland.Molina will get a rare day off as St. Louis opts to start Alberto Rosario behind the dish. Molina has gone 18-for-56 (.321) over the last 14 games, bringing his batting average up to .286 for the year. He'll likely return to the lineup Monday when the Cardinals face the Brewers.
Aug 7 2016Molina, who had apparently been dealing with a right hand contusion, is in the starting lineup Sunday against the Braves, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.If something had been ailing Molina, neither he nor the team had mentioned it, as the veteran backstop had started the first two games of the series. Prior to Thursday's day off, he had been behind the plate in seven consecutive contests. Sunday afternoons are a common rest day for everyday catchers, but that won't be the case for the 34-year-old Molina -- hand ailment or not.
Aug 4 2016Molina is out of the lineup Thursday against the Reds.After catching the last seven games, Molina will get a rest during Thursday's day game. Alberto Rosario will get the start behind the dish and bat eighth against the Reds.
Jul 30 2016Molina went 3-for-5 with an RBI double and two runs in Friday's 11-6 victory over the Marlins.The veteran backstop plated Matt Holliday with a two-bagger to deep center in the fifth, extending his hitting streak to a season-high 13 games. Molina also has four straight multi-hit efforts and has slashed a stellar .329/.372/.493 in 73 July at-bats.
Jul 26 2016Molina is out of the lineup for the Cardinals' second game of the day against the Mets on Tuesday.Molina caught game 1 of the doubleheader, and will get the second contest off as Alberto Rosario gets the nod behind the plate. He went 2-for-4 with a double in the first game Tuesday, to improve his batting average to .283 on the season, while adding on three home runs and 29 RBI.
Jul 23 2016Molina is out of the lineup Saturday against the Dodgers, FOX Sports Midwest's Jim Hayes reports.Molina has started eight of the last 12 games and has compiled an eight-game hitting streak with five runs scored over that stretch. Alberto Rosario will start behind the dish and hit eighth Saturday.
Jul 20 2016Molina is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Padres.He caught Game 1 of the doubleheader, so to nobody's surprise, he will ride the pine for Game 2. Alberto Rosario will start behind the dish and hit eighth in the nightcap.
Jul 17 2016Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Marlins.Molina started the first two games of the series, and despite being one of the most frequently used catchers in baseball, he'll take a seat for the series finale in favor of Alberto Rosario. Look for the backstop to return to action when the Cards begin a four-game set against the Padres on Monday.
Jul 10 2016Molina is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina will get a regular day off after starting the past four games behind the plate for the Cardinals. The 33-year-old will get an extra day of rest before the All-Star break begins.
Jul 5 2016Molina is not in the starting lineup on Tuesday. Brayan Pena will get the nod behind the plate for the Cardinals.Molina has been scuffling at the plate, only hitting .188 over the past 14 days. There have been no reports of an injury, so look for him to return to the starting lineup Wednesday to catch Jaime Garcia.
Jun 30 2016Molina is not in Thursday's lineup against the Royals.Molina caught the last three games, going 3-for-12 in that span, but he'll get a break Thursday and head to the bench. Brayan Pena will get the start behind the plate in his stead and bat seventh against Kansas City starter Chris Young.
Jun 26 2016Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Mariners, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.The Cardinals could have elected to use Molina in the DH spot, playing in an AL ballpark, but they instead chose to give their primary backstop a day off. Eric Fryer will take over in his stead, getting his first start since June 19.
Jun 20 2016Molina is in the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs.After having a Sunday to rest, Molina is starting behind the plate for Monday's contest against John Lackey. He should be in the lineup for the coming games until he gets another routine day off.
Jun 19 2016Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers.Even at 33 years old, Molina remains one of the most frequently used catchers in all of baseball. He'll get the day off Sunday, however, giving way to Eric Fryer behind the plate after making six straight starts.
Jun 9 2016Molina went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run in Thursday's 3-2 win over the Reds.His bases-loaded single in the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie and gave the Cardinals just enough to come away with a win. At 33, the lifelong Cardinal is a shadow of the hitter he once was, but he's warmed up recently, racking up seven base knocks over the course of a four-game hitting streak.
May 29 2016Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Nationals.Molina is one of the most heavily-used backstops in the bigs, as Sunday will be just his third day off in the month of May. While the veteran gets a maintenance day, Eric Fryer will take over behind the plate to catch Michael Wacha.
May 15 2016Molina is no in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Eric Stephen of True Blue LA reports.A staple in the Cardinals lineup recently, the veteran backstop will finally receive a day of rest Sunday. Eric Fryer will start behind the dish in his place but provides much less offensive upside. The Cardinals have the day off Monday but expect Molina to be behind the plate when the Cardinals host the Rockies starting Tuesday.
May 4 2016Molina is starting at first base and batting fifth Wednesday against the Phillies.Outside of one inning at the position earlier this season, this marks the first time Molina will play first base since playing one game there in 2014. It should be a nice break on Molina's toe and thumb that bothered him during the offseason and spring training, and if he can garner more time at first base throughout the season, he could get additional positional eligibility.
May 1 2016Molina went 2-for-4 with a double in Saturday's 6-1 loss to the Nationals.Despite the Cardinals offense continuing to struggle as a whole, the veteran backstop was able to extend his hitting streak to 11 games with a single and double on the afternoon. Molina's offensive production has primarily been centered in these two categories when he's made contact, but he's also drawn nine walks over that span. He's slashing an outstanding .341/.426/.451 in his age 33-season, with the absence of the long ball essentially being the only blemish on his stellar line.
Apr 29 2016Molina is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Nationals.Molina gets the night off Friday after catching each of the last seven games. Eric Fryer will take his spot behind the plate for Friday's contest and bat eighth in the order, but Molina figures to get back onto the field for Saturday's early afternoon matchup.
Apr 20 2016Molina went 2-for-4 with a triple and a RBI in Tuesday's loss to Chicago.Molina is now batting .327/.375/.442 through 52 at-bats this season, thanks in large part to multi-hit efforts in five of his last eight games. The veteran backstop leads the Cardinals in hits and could be in for a nice bounce-back season after his speedy recovery from thumb surgery this past offseason.
Apr 17 2016Molina is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.Molina saw a six-game hitting streak -- one in which he racked up 11 hits -- come to an end Saturday, and the Cardinals are playing an early game Sunday, so manager Mike Matheny decided to give his veteran catcher a day off. Eric Fryer will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
Apr 12 2016Molina went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run in Monday's 10-1 thrashing of the Brewers.The veteran backstop opened the season in a bit of a lull, but has now doubled in consecutive games, and with a .276 average and .667 OPS in his first seven games this year, he's already nearly cloning last season's stats. The power's clearly faded for Yadi in his 30s, but he still gets enough playing time to be relevant in two-catcher formats.
Apr 4 2016Molina hit sixth and went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Sunday's Opening Day loss to the Pirates.After an abbreviated spring due to offseason thumb surgery, Molina hit the ground running to begin the 2016 campaign. His power has dwindled over the last few years, but he should still be a source of solid batting average and a surprising amount of RBI this year given his spot in the Cardinals' batting order.
Mar 29 2016Molina (toe) will return to the lineup for Tuesday's spring game, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Molina's toe appears to be a non-issue, as he only missed one spring game. Despite missing a good chunk of spring training while recovering from thumb surgery, Molina seems to be on track for Opening Day, as hinted by manager Mike Matheny on Friday.
Mar 28 2016Molina was scratched from the lineup for Monday's spring game due to a right foot contusion, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Molina may be a little banged up, but his latest setback is not related to his surgically-repaired thumb and he is listed as day-to-day, so he will still have a chance to play Opening Day.
Mar 28 2016Molina was scratched from the lineup for Monday's spring game, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The reason for Molina's removal from the lineup was not provided, but he will not start Monday as scheduled. Expect an update on Molina's status when more details become available.
Mar 25 2016Manager Mike Matheny hinted Friday that Molina will be available for Opening Day, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Matheny did not expressly confirm that Molina will be behind the plate Opening Day, but he did say that Molina has completed all the steps in his recovery from offseason thumb surgery, so it's looking likely that that will be the case.
Mar 18 2016Molina (thumb) is batting sixth today and is expected to take his first swings of the spring, MLB.com reports.Molina continues his smooth recovery from October thumb surgery as it looks like he'll have a couple weeks worth of Spring Training games to get his timing down at the plate.
Mar 14 2016Molina (thumb) will bat ninth during Monday's game against the Twins where he'll presumably take his first at-bats in a game this spring, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina's progress has been steady and without setbacks after having surgery on his thumb last fall. He could be an under-the-radar value heading into 2016. Molina will catch Cardinals newcomer Mike Leake.
Mar 11 2016Molina continues to progress in his recovery from thumb surgery as he took swings off a machine Friday, MLB.com reports.Molina's recovery thus far has went as smoothly as possible and it's looking increasingly likely that he'll be back to 100 percent prior to Opening Day.
Mar 11 2016Molina (thumb) took swings off a pitching machine Friday morning, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Manager Mike Matheny played coy with the media when asked if Molina would be able to hit in Friday's game, but we already know the Cardinals' starting catcher will be behind the dish for the second time in three days. Assuming he is able to hit and catch in games in the near future, he should be ready to go for Opening Day.
Mar 9 2016Molina (thumb) will see action behind the plate, but will not hit, in Wednesday's spring game, Mark Saxon of ESPN.com reports.Molina has yet to take swings this spring, but he has recovered to the point where he can now see, albeit limited, live action. He figures to resume hitting shortly, and it is looking promising that he will be ready to go by Opening Day.
Mar 7 2016Molina (thumb) could start taking dry swings this week and may even see some action behind the plate in a Grapefruit League game within the next week, MLB.com reports.Molina's Opening Day status has been a bit of a question mark but it appears he's recovery ahead of schedule after having surgery on his left thumb last October. The veteran backstop hasn't had any setbacks thus far and there appears to be a very real chance that he'll be ready to go on Opening Day for the Cardinals.
Feb 29 2016Molina (thumb) caught a bullpen session Monday, Mark Saxon of ESPN reports.This is a big step forward for the backstop, as he was just cleared to catch baseballs Friday. He caught Adam Wainwright's bullpen session in an effort to have a pitcher with fairly good control throw to Molina. He reportedly caught full-strength pitches by the end of the session, which means that an Opening Day return is somewhat realistic at this point. Molina will need to prove that his thumb can hold up when swinging a bat before anyone can say that he'll really be ready for game action.
Feb 26 2016Molina (thumb) went through light catching drills Friday for the first time since undergoing a second surgery on his thumb, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina was cleared earlier in the week to catch a baseball, and he remains in the team's program to build strength in his surgically repaired left thumb. Molina noted that he plans to return to catching before hitting, so it's still unclear when he'll be allowed to start swinging a bat. As Cards' GM John Mozeliak emphasized Friday, the team's primary goal at this stage is avoiding a third surgery to Molina's hand.
Feb 22 2016Molina (thumb) will have his status for Opening Day determined in mid-March, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.The Cardinals are planning to take things slowly with their veteran backstop, as he's already had two surgeries on his thumb this offseason. They're hoping this cautious approach will help Molina be ready to go when Opening Day comes around, but things will become more clear once he begins to play catch again. Brayan Pena is slated to get the bulk of the catching duties while Molina is on the shelf.
Feb 16 2016Molina (thumb) may not be able to play catch for another two weeks, but he still hopes to be ready by Opening Day, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina had his cast removed in early February but still has a splint on his surgically-repaired left hand. He actually required two surgeries during the offseason, as an October procedure to repair a torn ligament in his thumb was unsuccessful, thus necessitating a follow-up procedure in mid-December. Molina is going to miss a good chunk of spring training and is questionable to be ready for Opening Day. If he misses time during the regular season, Brayan Pena will likely get most of the starts behind the plate.
Dec 16 2015Molina underwent a second procedure on his thumb Tuesday and is expected to miss a large portion of Spring Training, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.According to Langosch, Molina's first thumb ligament surgery in October was unsuccessful, which led to him needing a follow-up procedure. The need for a second procedure will likely keep him out for most of spring training, but there has not been any indication that Tuesday's surgery will impact his availability for Opening Day. That said, there will be some worry about Molina's lack of Spring Training reps leading into a slow start at the dish in 2016.
Oct 15 2015Molina will have surgery Thursday to repair his injured left thumb, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.This seemed to be the logical next step after Molina was unable to participate in Game 4 of the NLDS after gutting through the first three games of the series against the Cubs. He will likely need at least 8-12 weeks to recover from the surgery, however he should be available for spring training barring any unforeseen setbacks.
Oct 14 2015Molina will meet with a hand specialist Wednesday to determine if surgery is required to repair his injured thumb, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina was scheduled to meet with a team doctor after Game 4 anyway, but with the Cardinals now out of the postseason, the veteran catcher could opt for surgery to repair his thumb which appeared to become worse throughout the NLDS. At this time it's unclear if Molina will be healthy enough to participate in spring training next season, but discovering the severity of the injury should go along way in determining his status moving forward.
Oct 13 2015Molina was a late scratch from Tuesday's NLDS Game 4 lineup, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.It turns out Molina's ailing left thumb would jeopardize his Game 4 status after all. Manager Mike Matheny relayed that the veteran backstop could catch if forced into duty, but the decision to bench him was a direct result of his inability to swing the bat. Obviously, this will likely damper his chances at logging a pinch-hit at-bat for the rest of the series and potentially further if the Cardinals manage to advance in the postseason.
Oct 13 2015Molina is in the lineup for Game 4 of the NLDS on Tuesday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina left Game 3 early with what appeared to be some discomfort in his oft-injured left thumb, but with the Cardinals attempting to stave off elimination manager Mike Matheny will go back to his veteran backstop once more, putting him in the eight-spot in the batting order.
Oct 9 2015Molina (thumb) will start Game 1 of the NLDS Friday against the Cubs.Molina missed most of the final few weeks of the season with a sprained left thumb, prompting some sources to believe the 33-year-old could be left off the postseason roster. However, after a strong showing in the batting cage during the weekend, manager Mike Matheny opted not only to have Molina on the roster, but also start Game 1 of the series. He will take over his typical position behind the plate and bat seventh in the order.
Oct 8 2015Molina (thumb) will be on the postseason roster, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.After missing the last two weeks of the season with an injury to his thumb, there were some rumblings that Molina might be held off the postseason roster. However, it's clear manager Mike Matheny was pleased with his catcher's progress and it now appears as if Molina will at least get an at-bat or two during the NLDS with a possible start on the horizon depending on how his thumb reacts to game-time action.
Oct 5 2015Molina visited a hand specialist Monday and the Cardinals still believe that he will be on the postseason roster.Molina's thumb injury cost him the last couple weeks of the regular season, and that could extend into the postseason as well. If he does end up on the postseason roster, it still seems unlikely he'll be available early on.
Sep 29 2015Molina (thumb) is optimistic he could play in the postseason, Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.For now, Tony Cruz will continue to get the majority of the starts behind the plate as Molina focuses on rehabbing his injured thumb. While his optimistic attitude certainly should be promising for the team and Cardinals' fans alike, his absence during the final week of the season is a tough pill to swallow for fantasy owners.
Sep 28 2015Molina (thumb) will miss the remainder of the regular season, Derick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina's will not even visit a doctor again until Sunday or Monday, and he's expected to keep his thumb in the splint. Considering the violent nature of the tag that caused the injury, it's not a surprise that he'll miss some time, but the team hopes it won't force him to miss the postseason. In the meantime, Tony Cruz will likely continue receiving most of the starts behind the dish.
Sep 21 2015Molina (thumb) is out of the lineup Monday against the Reds.Molina exited Sunday's game in the ninth inning due to the thumb injury, and is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday. He will miss Monday's contest at a minimum, but a timetable should be clarified when the results of the MRI are revealed.
Sep 21 2015Molina suffered a slight ligament tear in his left thumb, and will be re-evaluated in approximately a week, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina still hopes to return this season, but it sounds as though he'll miss at least a week due to the issue. Tony Cruz will replace him behind the plate Monday, and that will likely be the case most days until Molina is able to rejoin the lineup.
Sep 20 2015Molina was pinch hit for in the ninth inning of Sunday's game against the Cubs with what appears to be a hand injury, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina's injury occurred in the previous half inning when he made a tag on a throw from Jason Heyward to nab Anthony Rizzo at the plate. While he remained in the game for the time being, Matt Adams pinch hit for him in the top half of the ninth. It's possible the move was precautionary, but the team should provide an update on his status at some point in the near future.
Sep 20 2015Molina (thumb) will have an MRI on Monday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina had tape on his thumb in the locker room, after he was removed from Sunday's game against the Cubs. He missed seven weeks with a torn ligament in his other thumb last season.
Sep 20 2015Molina exited Sunday's game with a sprained thumb and will be re-evaluated Monday.Molina initially remained in the game following a rough tag on Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, but was pinch hit for when it came to him in the batting order. It's unclear how severe the sprain is, but it wouldn't be surprising if he receives a day or two off at a minimum.
Sep 18 2015Molina is out for the second day in a row, this time for Friday's game against the Cubs.This is the first time Molina has missed two starts in a row since April, so it's definitely worth wondering if there's a reason beyond extra rest. However, it's likely just the Cardinals taking a precaution to make sure he's fresh for the playoffs or a potential division-deciding series against the Pirates to end the season. In the meantime, Tony Cruz will once again get the start behind the plate.
Sep 17 2015Molina is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Brewers.Molina struck out four times Wednesday for the first time in his career and is hitting just .154 this month, so manager Mike Matheny decided to give him a day to clear his head. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
Sep 12 2015Molina is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds.Molina will get the day off with the Cardinals playing an early afternoon affair Saturday. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate in his place.
Sep 2 2015Molina is out of the lineup Wednesday.This is just a standard day off for Molina, who has been in the lineup the last five days. Tony Cruz gets the start at catcher and will hit eighth.
Aug 27 2015Molina is out of Thursday's lineup against the Diamondbacks.Molina rarely receives a day off, but he'll get one Thursday for the first time since Aug. 9. Tony Cruz will take his place behind the plate, batting seventh for the Cardinals.
Aug 20 2015Molina went 3-for-4 with his fourth homer of the year and two RBI in Wednesday's win over the Giants.The long ball was the 100th of Molina's career and his second in three games. While he's clearly well past his brief power prime, Molina's still been able to provide decent batting average from the catcher position, although his stat line is best suited for deeper and NL-only formats at this point.
Aug 18 2015Molina connected for just his third home run of the season Monday, a solo shot in the win over San Francisco, his lone hit in a 1-for-3 night.It appears Molina has returned to the low power days in the first several years of his career. Molina only posted double-digit home run totals in the 2011-2013 seasons so his days as a high-end fantasy catcher appear to be behind him.
Aug 13 2015Molina went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run, and a stolen base against the Pirates on Wednesday.Molina played a big role in Wednesday's win, doing a little bit of everything. He tripled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, threw out Gregory Polanco attempting to steal from his knees in the first and stole his second base of the season after doubling in the eighth.
Aug 9 2015Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Brewers, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina will have now sat every third day since the beginning of August. There hasn't been any indication from manager Mike Matheny that the heavily-used backstop will be receiving more rest than usual, but it's logical to rest the 33-year-old Molina, when possible, in preparation for a potential playoff run.
Aug 2 2015Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rockies.Molina dealt with a bout of dehydration earlier in the past week, so it makes sense that manager Mike Matheny will give him a rest for Sunday's matinee. Tony Cruz will serve as the catcher for starting pitcher Jaime Garcia.
Jul 28 2015Molina (illness) deemed himself questionable for Tuesday's game, MLB.com reports.Molina left Monday's game against the Reds due to a "queasy stomach," which he attributed to a foul ball that struck him square in the mask. "Nothing about the heat," Molina said. "Just a foul ball. Sometimes when you're a catcher, those foul balls are going to get you, and this one was one of those." Molina said, "we'll see" when asked about his status for Tuesdays's game, so at this point his status is still up in the air.
Jul 28 2015Molina (illness) is in the lineup Tuesday against the Reds.Molina took a ball off the mask Monday but manager Mike Matheny said his removal was due to dehydration. He's been cleared to play Tuesday and will be back behind the plate and in the five-hole in the batting order.
Jul 27 2015Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said that Molina left Monday's game due to dehydration, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Molina was reportedly "not feeling well" when he departed the win over the Reds after going 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored, but it sounds like he could be right back out there Tuesday.
Jul 26 2015Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Braves.Molina rarely receives an off day, but with the Cardinals going with him for all eight of their games since returning from the All-Star break, manager Mike Matheny determined the catcher could use a breather. Tony Cruz earns the nod behind the plate and will catch Michael Wacha.
Jul 24 2015Molina went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in a 4-2 win over the Braves on Friday.Molina was batting only .246 going into May, but has turned it around big time, hitting nearly .300 since to raise his average to .290. The power is still lacking though, as he only has two homers and a .692 OPS through 89 games played. He is still must own, but don't expect the power to come around as his 0.76 ISO is a career low.
Jul 7 2015Molina is not in the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cubs.Tony Cruz will start the first game, with Molina presumably handling the second. Although he still hasn't done much in terms of counting stats, Molina owns a solid .292/.332/.372 slash line.
Jun 21 2015Molina is out of Sunday's lineup against the Phillies.Molina seems to have hit a groove at the plate recently, recording a hit in each of his last seven starts to raise his batting line to .295/.341/.374 on the season. However, he'll receive the routine day game off Sunday in favor of Tony Cruz, who'll bat seventh for the Cardinals.
Jun 15 2015Molina hit his first home run in Monday's win over Minnesota as part of a 3-for-4 game.Molina had a few solid power years in his prime, but at 32-years-old, he's on the decline, and it's not surprising the power is the first thing to go. He hit single digit home runs from 2004 through 2010 and hit just seven in 2014, and it's hard to believe that's a trend he can reverse at his age and given the mileage on his legs. Still, he's an excellent contact hitter, and the three-hit night raised his average to .289.
Jun 7 2015Molina is out of the lineup Sunday against the Dodgers.Molina looks to be receiving just a regular day off Sunday following a long stretch of starts behind the plate. Tony Cruz will catch Lance Lynn Sunday, batting eighth for the Cardinals.
May 21 2015Molina is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mets, according to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch.Molina has been rolling this month, going 24-for-71 (.338) at the plate, but he will get the day off Thursday with the Cardinals playing a day game following a night game. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
May 13 2015Molina (back) will return to the lineup Wednesday against the Indians.Molina left Tuesday's game early due to a stiff upper back, but will rejoin the lineup Wednesday, so the issue must have been minor. He'll bat sixth for the Cardinals on Wednesday.
May 13 2015Molina left Tuesday's game against Cleveland in the ninth inning due to stiffness in his upper back, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Manager Mike Matheny didn't seem overly concerned but it is something to keep an eye on as Molina could miss a game or two at the very least.
Apr 27 2015Molina (knee) is back in the lineup Monday against the Phillies.Molina suffered what has been diagnosed as a knee injury in Friday's game against the Brewers, but two days off appears to be enough for him. He'll rejoin the lineup Monday, batting sixth for the Cardinals.
Apr 27 2015Molina went 0-for-4 in his return to the lineup Monday night.He didn't play Saturday or Sunday due to a knee injury that he suffered in Friday's game against Milwaukee. It's a good sign that Molina caught all nine innings Monday night in his return to the lineup.
Apr 26 2015Molina is not in the lineup Sunday against the Brewers, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina will miss his second straight game due to a sore knee, but still isn't expected to require a stint on the disabled list. Tony Cruz will man the backstop again Sunday, and will likely continue to do so until Molina is ready for action. Cody Stanley was also recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, and will provide further depth at the position.
Apr 25 2015Molina says his right knee is still sore/tight, but this is not an injury that will require a DL stint, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.It was originally thought that Molina suffered a chest injury, but now we know it is his knee that is ailing. The Cardinals were not concerned enough to summon an extra catcher, so it would seem Molina will be back in the lineup in the next couple days. Tony Cruz will serve as the Cardinals' catcher in the meantime, with Pete Kozma acting as the emergency backup.
Apr 25 2015Molina (chest) is out of the lineup Saturday against the Brewers, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.A foul tip to the chest forced Molina from Friday's game, but his removal was labeled precautionary and the team lists Molina as day-to-day. That said, Molina's availability off the bench Saturday and for Sunday's series finale is uncertain. Tony Cruz will start behind the plate and bat eighth in his absence.
Apr 24 2015Molina (chest) was taken out of Friday's game against the Brewers for precautionary reasons and is considered day-to-day, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports reports.Molina prematurely exited Friday's game in the fifth inning after taking a foul tip to the chest but apparently his long-term viability is not in danger. Consider him a game-time decision for Saturday's bout with the Brewers while Tony Cruz serves as a potential replacement.
Apr 24 2015Molina left Friday's game in the middle off the fifth inning after getting knocked down by a foul tip earlier in the game, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.The Cardinals have not announced the specific injury, but for Molina to pull himself out in the middle of a close game with Carlos Martinez pitching a gem, it must have been quite painful/uncomfortable. Continue to monitor his status Friday night and Saturday morning to see whether he will have to miss further time. Tony Cruz replaced Molina and would catch Saturday if needed.
Apr 23 2015Molina is out of the lineup Thursday.This is just a standard off day for Molina and Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate against the Nationals. Molina has yet to hit for any power this season, but he is hitting .306 (.395 BABIP) and has logged 54 plate appearances so far.
Apr 17 2015Molina had the key hit in Friday's win over the Reds, a bases-clearing double in the seventh inning.Molina hadn't been driving the ball well prior to Friday's game, and in fact the Reds intentionally walked Jon Jay to try to set up a double-play by Molina prior to the big hit. He's batting .281/.361/.444 on the season.
Apr 8 2015Molina went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Wednesday's loss to the Cubs.He was dropped to seventh in the batting order for Wednesday's game after being used in the No. 6 slot against lefty Jon Lester on Opening Night. If he ends up hitting in those spots over the course of the season, Molina could see a slight dip in RBI chances compared to initial expectations.
Feb 7 2015Molina has reportedly dropped as many as 20 pounds through his offseason workouts, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.In addition to limiting the wear and tear on his knees, a lighter frame could enable Molina to take on more playing time at first base when the Cards are facing a left-handed starter and want to sit Matt Adams. Further removed from the thumb surgery he had to repair a torn ligament last summer, Molina should be able to rebound in the power department this season.
Oct 20 2014Molina (oblique) is expected to be fully healthy by spring training.Molina was forced out of Game 2 of the NLCS with an oblique strain and didn't play again the rest of the postseason. With a full offseason to recover from the injury, it shouldn't be a problem for him by the time spring training rolls around.
Oct 16 2014Molina (oblique) remains out of the lineup Thursday against the Giants.Molina attempted to test his oblique injury Wednesday with some swings, but he "didn't feel too good," according to manager Mike Matheny. Thus, the Cardinals will have to go into Game 5 of the NLCS, down 3-1 in the series, without their All-Star catcher, though there's an outside chance he could be used as a defensive replacement late in the game. Tony Cruz gets the start behind the dish.
Oct 15 2014Molina (oblique) tried taking swings Wednesday, but didn't feel good, according to manager Mike Matheny, KMOXSports reports.Molina reported feeling fine defensively with everything he'd be expected to do behind the plate, but it appears his inability to swing pain-free is what will keep him out of the lineup for Wednesday's Game 4. He likely won't be available to pinch hit Wednesday given this development.
Oct 15 2014Molina (oblique) tried taking swings Wednesday, but didn't feel good, according to manager Mike Matheny, KMOX Sports reports.Molina reported feeling fine defensively with everything he'd be expected to do behind the plate, but it appears his inability to swing pain-free is what will keep him out of the lineup for Wednesday's Game 4. He likely won't be available to pinch hit Wednesday given this development, but could possibly be used as a defensive replacement.
Oct 15 2014Molina (oblique) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.The Cardinals are trotting out the same lineup for Game 4 as they did on Tuesday for Game 3, so A.J. Pierzynski will get his second consecutive start in Molina's place. There's no word yet on when he will be able to return, but for the time being it appears the oblique injury Molina suffered in Sunday's Game 2 is still bothering him enough to keep him out of the lineup.
Oct 14 2014Molina (oblique) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Giants.Molina will be held out Tuesday -- and possibly beyond -- due to the oblique injury he suffered in Sunday's game. A.J. Pierzynski will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
Oct 13 2014Molina (oblique) is optimistic he'll return at some point this postseason, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina, who suffered a strained left oblique Sunday night, said the pain is the worst he's ever felt in his career, but he was able to throw on the field Monday. He's all but ruled out to start Tuesday's Game 3, but manager Mike Matheny is optimistic that he could use Molina as a defensive replacement, perhaps as early as Game 3. At the plate is where Molina will likely still be affected, as he suffered the injury swinging the bat and did not do so Monday. Until further notice, it appears as though if he plays, his impact will probably be felt defensively.
Oct 13 2014Molina (oblique) could miss the remainder of the postseason, according to an AP report published in The Oregonian.Molina departed Sunday's Game 2 with a strained left oblique and was replaced by Tony Cruz. While Molina hasn't been officially ruled out, manager Mike Matheny did not sound optimistic about his status but said he'll wait for medical confirmation before making any roster decisions. If Molina is replaced on the NLCS roster, he'd be ineligible to play in the World Series, should the Cardinals advance. "If we have to go short with an opportunity to have him back, we'd do that," Matheny said. "But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Oct 12 2014Molina departed Sunday's NLCS Game 2 against the Giants with a strained left oblique, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reports.Molina did not leave the box after grounding into a double play and it was immediately clear he suffered some sort of injury. Tony Cruz came on in relief to catch the seventh inning, and at this point it remains to be seen whether Molina will be able to return at some point in this series. While the team is yet to provide an official prognosis, Molina will likely miss Game 3 in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Oct 6 2014Molina will not be suspended for shoving umpire Jerry Meals during Game 1 of the NLDS, CBS Sports reports. Molina will receive a "substantial" fine, however.The incident occurred during a benches-clearing scuffle after Adrian Gonzalez was upset that teammate Yasiel Puig had been hit by Adam Wainwright. Meals got between Gonzalez and Molina, and Molina briefly shoved him away. No players were ejected from the game.
Sep 28 2014Molina was a late scratch from Sunday's starting lineup.Molina was in the original starting lineup, but was scratched after the Cardinals clinched the NL Central division following Pittsburgh's loss to the Reds. Matt Holliday, Matt Carpenter, Jhonny Peralta and Jon Jay will take a seat as well.
Sep 11 2014Molina is out of the lineup Thursday against the Reds, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.Molina has started 12 straight and the Cardinals have an early afternoon game on tap following a night game, so manager Mike Matheny will predictably turn to A.J. Pierzynski to man the backstop in the finale against Cincinnati. Since his return from a seven-week layoff, Molina is batting just .234 without an extra-base hit, but it's not that surprising given his need to rebuild strength in the thumb.
Aug 30 2014Molina went 3-for-5 with three singles, a run, and an RBI Saturday against the Cubs.It was Molina's second game since returning to the lineup after a seven-week absence, and he collected three singles. He also threw out Arismendy Alcantara stealing second, the first attempt against Molina since he returned.
Aug 30 2014Molina is out of the lineup for Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Cubs.Handed an 8-to-12 week estimated recovery timetable after tearing a ligament in his thumb in early July, Molina returned Friday after missing just over seven weeks. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his return and will head to the bench for Saturday's matinee, but he figures to return behind the plate for Game 2. A.J. Pierzynski will catch Justin Masterson in Game 1.
Aug 29 2014Molina (thumb) was activated off the 15-day disabled list and is in the lineup Friday.Molina was expected to be activated off the disabled list Friday, and that now appears to be the case. He will provide the Cardinals with some extra offensive punch and most of all, will provide them with a commanding presence behind the plate.
Aug 28 2014Molina (thumb) is expected to rejoin the Cardinals on Friday, when they begin a four-game series with the Cubs, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Molina appeared in his first rehab game at Double-A Springfield on Wednesday, going 2-for-3 with a double while catching six innings. He'll be back behind the plate at Springfield on Thursday, and assuming everything goes smoothly, the Cardinals will bring him back in the fold for the final 30 games of the season. The team initially projected a eight-to-12 week recovery timetable for Molina when he torn a ligament in his right thumb July 9, but if activated Friday, he'll join the team a week earlier than anticipated.
Aug 27 2014Molina (thumb) will play in a rehab game at Double-A Springfield on Wednesday, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.It's unclear if Molina will catch in the game or simply man the DH spot, but regardless, the Cardinals have to be encouraged that he's getting some at-bats under his belt. Molina could remain with Springfield through the end of the weekend before potentially rejoining the Cardinals as early as Sept. 1, when rosters expand. An activation at that time would be contingent on him coning through the rehab games without any pain in his thumb.
Aug 27 2014Molina (thumb) caught six innings and went 2-for-3 with an RBI double in a rehab game with Double-A Springfield on Wednesday, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Molina had a successful night in his first game since moving his rehab assignment to Springfield. It's not clear how many more rehab games he will need, but a return to the big club is not far off.
Aug 25 2014Molina (thumb) is set to participate in a full workout Tuesday, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.If Molina is able to take some swings and field his position without any aggravation to the torn ligament in his thumb, he's expected to receive clearance to begin a rehab assignment within a few days. Molina is about seven weeks through the eight-to-12 week absence initially projected for him after he suffered the injury July 9, and it seems the Cardinals are optimistic about his chances of meeting the short end of that timetable.
Aug 25 2014Molina (thumb) will move his rehab to Double-A Springfield, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina won't be appearing in rehab games immediately for Springfield, as he'll first be asked to participate in a full workout Tuesday before the Cardinals clarify his schedule. He'll probably need to play full, back-to-back games behind the plate in the minors before the big club will feel comfortable activating him from the DL.
Aug 21 2014Molina took some light swings Wednesday, his first since tearing a thumb ligament in early-July, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina is making excellent progress and has gone without a setback thus far. If all continues to go well he could be back in the lineup in early September.
Aug 15 2014Molina (thumb) expects to be cleared to resume swinging a bat next week, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.A day after catching his first bullpen session since undergoing surgery to repair a torn thumb ligament, Molina returned to the bullpen Friday for more work. He seems optimistic that he'll be cleared to ramp up his activity further next week, and while the team could always step in and pump the brakes, it sounds like Molina has a chance to beat even the front-end of his estimated 8-to-12 week recovery timetable.
Aug 14 2014Molina (thumb) caught a bullpen session Thursday, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.It was the first time he donned the catcher's mitt since landing on the disabled list in mid-July. The team is optimistic he will meet the short end of the eight-to-12 week recovery timetable initially established for him, but it will be tough to get a true gauge of how well he's progressing until he takes part in more baseball-related activities.
Jul 10 2014Molina (thumb) was placed on the 15-day DL prior to Thursday's game.With GM John Mozeliak delivering the somber news that Molina will miss the next 8-to-12 weeks due to a torn ligament in his thumb, the DL trip comes as no surprise. Audry Perez was recalled from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move to serve as the No. 2 catcher behind Tony Cruz.
Jul 10 2014Molina was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his thumb and will miss 8-to-12 weeks, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.The loss of Molina both at the dish and behind the plate is a crippling one for the Cardinals, who will be forced to turn to the lightly-used Tony Cruz as their primary catcher in the interim. In addition to his well-developed hitting and defensive skills, Molina has long been one of the league's most durable catchers, racking up 128 games behind the plate for the previous five seasons. That streak will come to an end in 2014, and the given that Molina's timetable will keep him out until the final few weeks of the regular season, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Cardinals were active in their pursuit of a rental catcher on the trade market.
Jul 9 2014Molina left Wednesday's game against the Pirates with a right thumb sprain, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the third, after smacking a ground rule double in the inning prior. The severity of the thumb injury is uncertain, but Molina will be re-evaluated Thursday morning. Consider him day-to-day for the time being.
Jul 9 2014Molina will get an MRI on his sprained right thumb, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.Cardinals fans and fantasy owners can continue to collectively hold their breath, as the results of Molina's MRI likely won't be made available until Thursday. A firmer timetable should be established once that happens. Tony Cruz will continue to man the backstop in St. Louis until more information is made known.
Jun 24 2014Molina is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rockies, according to FOX Sports Midwest.Molina has started to turn things around after getting off to a slow start this month, but manager Mike Matheny decided it was time for a day off with Molina starting each of the last eight games. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
Jun 15 2014Molina is not in the lineup Sunday against the Nationals, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina has started four straight games for the Cardinals, but will take a seat for a routine day of rest for a day game following a night game. Tony Cruz will man the backstop in his stead.
Jun 8 2014Molina was placed back in the lineup Sunday after Matt Holliday was scratched due to tightness in his lower back, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina was obviously just getting a scheduled day of rest, as he is now back in the lineup for the Cardinals. He'll bat third in the order and will replace Holliday as the designated hitter.
Jun 8 2014Molina is out of the lineup again on Sunday.Molina is out of the lineup for a second straight game. Although it is a bit concerning Molina is out again, there is no indication of an injury as the reason he will miss Sunday. The 31-year-old catcher may just be taking a couple days of rest, but his presence in or absence from Tuesday's lineup will likely be telling of whether something is wrong with Molina or not.
Jun 7 2014Molina is not in the lineup Saturday against the Blue Jays, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina will sit Saturday in favor of Tony Cruz after making five consecutive starts behind the dish. The overall numbers for Molina still look pretty good, but he has just one homer since the beginning of May, and one RBI in his last 17 games. Further, he's notched just one extra-base hit in his last 11 games (39 at-bats).
Jun 1 2014Molina is out of the lineup Sunday vs. the Giants.It sounds like Molina is just receiving a rest after starting each of the last six games for the Cardinals. Despite the ample at-bats this week, Molina hasn't been able to yield much production, going 2-for-18 with one run and no RBI. Tony Cruz will handle the catching duties in his stead Sunday.
May 25 2014Molina went 2-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored in Saturday's win over the Reds.The homer was Molina's first since April 29, but the multi-hit effort was his eighth in his last 12 games. Molina is likely due a day off soon, considering he last sat May 10.
May 25 2014Molina is not in the lineup Sunday night against the Reds.A day of rest is probably long overdue for Molina, who had started each of the Cardinals' previous nine games. Molina is well on his way to posting an average over .300 for the fourth consecutive season, with his current .330 mark representing a career high should it be maintained.
May 10 2014Molina is not in the lineup Saturday against the Pirates, FOX Sports Midwest reports.This looks like a routine day off for Molina, who caught seven straight games to begin May. The 31-year-old has been struggling at the dish, with just four hits in in 30 at-bats this month and none in his last four starts (0-for-12), but his season average is still at .300.
Apr 30 2014Molina is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Brewers, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.Due to the fact that he logged 11 innings behind the plate Tuesday night, Molina will sit out for Wednesday's afternoon contest. It's probably not the worst thing in the world for fantasy owners to have him out of their lineups, as he's batting just 2-for-12 over his career against opposing starter Matt Garza.
Apr 29 2014Molina stroked his fourth homer of the season as part of a 2-for-4, three-RBI effort in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Brewers.The Cards' stud catcher has been as advertised in 25 games this season, as he now has four long balls, 15 RBI, 12 runs and a terrific .350 average. He'll probably regress closer to his career average of .285 sooner or later, but for now, owners can't complain.
Apr 24 2014Molina is not in the lineup Thursday against the Mets, FOX Sports Midwest reports.A 3-for-3 performance Wednesday extended Molina's hitting streak to 14 games, but he'll put that streak on hold Thursday as Tony Cruz steps in for the series finale against New York. There's certainly a chance Molina could get an opportunity to extent it to 14 games with a pinch-hit at-bat.
Apr 24 2014Molina went 3-for-3 with two doubles a walk and an RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Mets.The best defensive catcher in baseball extended his hitting streak to 14 games and is now hitting .367/398/.557 on the season with 11 RBI and nine extra-base hits. Molina looks primed for another season as a top 5 fantasy catcher.
Apr 21 2014Molina extended his hitting streak to 12 games Monday, going 2-for-4 against the Mets.After a slow start to the season, Molina is tearing the cover off the ball, raising his batting average from .217 to .347 over the 12-game stretch. With 10 RBI and 10 runs scored, Molina is providing more than just an empty batting average early on.
Apr 19 2014Molina is not in the lineup Saturday against the Nationals, FOX Sports Midwest reports.This looks like your typical day-game-after-night-game rest for Molina, who will yield catching duties to Tony Cruz. Molina's riding a 10-game hitting streak, and could get an opportunity to continue it in pinch-hit appearance.
Apr 14 2014Molina is not in the lineup Monday against the Brewers, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina has caught 12 straight games for the Cardinals to begin the season, but will give way to Tony Cruz behind the plate Monday. Molina is just 2-for-13 with no extra base hits against the Brewers' Matt Garza, which could have played in to Mike Matheny's decision.
Apr 8 2014Molina went yard for the third time this season Tuesday, getting the Cards on the board with a solo bomb off Homer Bailey in the second inning. He finished the game 3-for-5 and was a triple shy of the cycle.One of fantasy baseball's most highly desired catchers on draft day, Molina now leads all backstoppers in home runs and RBI with seven. Yes, the season is young, but owners that grabbed him early have enjoyed his productivity thus far. The Cards have one more game against the Reds before opening a series with the Cubs -- a team in which Molina has batted .300 and put up 70 RBI against, more than any other team -- so look for the perennial Gold Glover to continue to gain momentum at the dish.
Apr 7 2014Molina doubled his RBI total Monday afternoon, knocking in three runs with a first-inning double.The All-Star backstop has gotten off to a slow start this season at the dish in terms of batting average, but has six RBI and two homeruns in his first seven games of the season. The career .284 hitter should have no trouble raising his batting average in the coming weeks.
Apr 6 2014Molina hit his second home run of the season Saturday, a sixth inning solo shot off Francisco Liriano in helping the Cardinals over the Pirates.Molina looks like he'll hit out of the fifth spot in the lineup this season and should have plenty of RBI opportunities. The games top defensive catcher should be in for another solid offensive year.
Mar 31 2014Molina went 2-for-4 with a game-winning solo homer off of Reds starter Johnny Cueto in Monday's season opener against Cincinnati.The big question for Molina as he moves further beyond age-30 centers on his workload. It remains to be seen if he'll still be tasked with playing 135-plus games, but the Cards made a point to ease him into Grapefruit League play this spring with the hope of limiting the wear and tear once the games started to count.
Feb 24 2014Molina will be on a limited workload during the early part of spring training, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina played an NL-best 131 games at catcher last season and aims to do so again this season. He'll need all the rest he can get.
Feb 14 2014Molina will likely receive the same playing time as last season, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Manager Mike Matheney said there is "no plan in place" to limit his playing time any more than last season. If the veteran backstop can stay healthy, he should be in for another terrific season.
Oct 5 2013Molina went 1-for-4 and slugged his first postseason home run in seven years in the loss to the Pirates Friday.Molina provided the only Cardinals offense as rookie Garrett Cole shut them down in the youngsters first career postseason start.
Sep 15 2013Molina went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and a solo home run in Sunday's win over Seattle.Molina is now hitting .317/.356/.480 on the year, and broke an 0-for-15 slump with Sunday's performance. With his personal family issue seemingly behind him, Molina should revert back to his hot-hitting ways.
Sep 13 2013Molina (personal) is back in the lineup Friday against the Mariners.Molina just needed the last two days off to tend to a personal matter. Now that's he back with the club, he figures to see nearly every start behind the plate for the Cardinals the rest of the way.
Sep 12 2013Molina (personal) is not in the lineup Thursday.Molina remains away from the Cardinals as he continues to tend to his mother following her surgical procedure Wednesday at a St. Louis hospital. Tony Cruz will make a second consecutive start behind the plate for the Cardinals.
Sep 12 2013Molina (personal) is expected to return to the Cardinals on Friday, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina will miss his second straight game to be with his mother, who was hospitalized Wednesday. Upon returning, Molina will see nearly all the starts at catcher the rest of the way with the Cardinals trying to hold off the Pirates and Reds for the NL Central title.
Sep 11 2013Molina is not with the Cardinals on Wednesday due to a family situation, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Details are scarce, but Molina will miss a start Wednesday while attending to the matter. Tony Cruz will fill in behind the dish, while Molina should be considered day-to-day ahead of Thursday's tilt.
Sep 7 2013Molina went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run against the Pirates on Friday.It looks like Molina is getting back into the swing of things after falling into a 3-for-25 slump over his last seven games. Manager Mike Matheny gave Molina Thursday night off to clear his head and it looks like it worked as his home run in the seventh helped blow the game wide open. The sore wrist doesn't seem to be much of an issue anymore so feel comfortable about leaving Molina in your starting lineup for the remainder of the season.
Sep 5 2013Molina is not in the lineup Thursday against the Reds, FOX Sports Midwest reports.It's not much of a surprise that Molina is getting the day off after he was behind the plate for all 16 innings Wednesday night. Tony Cruz will get the start at catcher.
Sep 3 2013Molina (wrist) went 0-for-3 in Tuesday's game against the Reds.He played the whole game and doesn't appear to be at risk of missing any more time because of the injury that led to his precautionary removal from Monday's game.
Sep 3 2013Molina (wrist) is in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds.Molina left Monday's game due to the sore wrist, but apparently his removal was only precautionary, as he will be back behind the plate Tuesday. Molina will hit fifth in the Cardinals' batting order.
Sep 2 2013Molina left Monday's game against the Reds with left wrist soreness.The Cards were down four runs when Molina exited in the bottom of the fifth inning, so it seems likely that his removal was precautionary. Molina's status for Tuesday is up in the air but he's listed as day-to-day by the club so it doesn't sound like he's in danger of missing much, if any, additional time.
Aug 28 2013Molina is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.Molina started each of the previous five games and will get a well-deserved day off. Rob Johnson is suiting up behind the plate Wednesday.
Aug 23 2013Molina returned to the lineup and went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored against the Braves on Friday.Molina got a routine night off Thursday and got right back to hitting Friday, notching his fifth multi-hit game in the seven he's played since coming off the disabled list. He's now 13-for-31 (.419) with two home runs, five RBI and eight runs scored over that span. Though he's not hitting for the same power he's shown the last two seasons, the bump in batting average continues to keep him ranked amongst the top three catchers in the league.
Aug 22 2013Molina is not in the starting lineup Thursday against the Braves, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Rob Johnson will get the nod behind the plate as Molina sits for the first time since last Friday. The Cardinals' superstar catcher went 0-for-4 Wednesday afternoon, but is still 10-for-22 with two home runs and five RBI over the last five games.
Aug 21 2013Molina stayed hot on Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with a double and a home run, scoring twice and driving in two in the 6-3 loss to Milwaukee.The home run was Molina's 10th of the season and he's now hitting a robust .336. If he stays hot he could find his way back into the National League MVP talks.
Aug 20 2013Molina went 4-for-5 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI in the Cardinals' 8-5 win over Milwaukee on Monday.Molina is on fire with eight hits in his last three games, including 4 doubles and a home run. For the season the MVP candidate is hitting .334/.377/.495 for the surging Cardinals.
Aug 17 2013Molina hit a two-run home run in a 2-for-4 performance against the Cubs on Saturday.Molina looked back to his pre-injury form Saturday after going hitless in five at-bats in his return Thursday. He clubbed a two-run dinger in the sixth inning to break the game open for St. Louis, while also dialing up a shutout from behind the plate.
Aug 16 2013Molina is not in the Cardinals' lineup Friday at the Cubs, FOX Sports Midwest reports.One day removed from his activation from the disabled list, Molina will take a seat in favor of fellow catcher Rob Johnson. While Molina's return did not go swimmingly -- he went hitless while fanning once in five at-bats -- he is expected to be behind the plate most days for the Cardinals.
Aug 15 2013The Cardinals activated Molina (knee) from the disabled list Thursday, and he will bat fifth in the Cardinals' matchup with the Pirates, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina missed only the minimum 15 days due to the knee injury, so it's unlikely that there is any lingering soreness. Expect him to resume his role as the Cardinals' near-everyday catcher moving forward.
Aug 13 2013Molina (knee) took part in most field activities again Tuesday, and plans on playing Thursday, the first day he is eligible to come off the DL, the Associated Press reports.Molina owners will only have to rely on a fill-in catcher for Wednesday's game and then it will be time to activate him.
Aug 11 2013Molina (knee) performed catching drills Saturday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.A day after incorporating batting practice into his regimen, Molina increased his defensive activities and even participated in some light sprinting. His recovery has to be considered promising so far for the Cardinals, who hope to have Molina available in the minimum 15 days.
Aug 9 2013Molina (knee) hit in the batting cage Friday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.It's the first major hurdle for Molina, who had not resumed baseball activities of any kind prior to Friday. There's still progress to be made, and running will be the major test, but it sounds like there's a chance Molina could come off the DL when first eligible Aug. 15.
Aug 5 2013Molina (knee) does not have a timetable on when he will resume baseball activities, MLB.com reports.Molina has felt improvement in his right knee sprain and has been able to do some throwing. He has not been cleared for baseball activities yet and there is no set timetable on when that will happen. More will be known within the week based on his progress, but it appears it may be difficult at this point for him to come off the DL right on August 15 when his eligible.
Jul 31 2013Molina's (knee) MRI showed no structural damage, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Fortunately, it doesn't seem any injury at play here is more serious than inflammation or swelling, increasing the odds that Molina may be able to return in the 15-day minimum. The Cardinals are expected to hand Tony Cruz a majority of the starts in the interim, but they may look for some depth at the position outside the organization as well.
Jul 31 2013Molina (knee) has been placed on the 15-day DL, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The move was announced Tuesday night, but made official Wednesday afternoon. Tony Cruz will likely see the bulk of the starts behind the plate in Molina's absence, if the Cards stand pat at the trade deadline Wednesday afternoon.
Jul 30 2013Molinda was removed from Tuesday's game in the fourth inning.At this time, the reason for Molina's departure is unknown, but stay tuned for updates on his condition. Rob Johnson entered the game to replace him behind the plate.
Jul 30 2013Molina (knee) will undergo an MRI in St. Louis on Wednesday and expects to go on the DL, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina suffered a sprained right knee during Tuesday's game - the same knee that caused him to miss a game due to inflammation earlier in the month. He'll know more after Wednesday's MRI, but at this point it appears likely he'll miss more than a game or two. "I tried to play through it, but it's getting worse. The smart thing is to take time off and try to fix it," Molina said.
Jul 30 2013Molina suffered a right knee strain during Tuesday's game, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina departed in the fourth inning and was replaced by Rob Johnson. It remains unknown whether he'll miss any time, so continue to consider him day-to-day until more information is revealed.
Jul 30 2013Molina is not in the Cardinals' lineup for Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader at Pittsburgh, FOX Sports Midwest reports.With two games on the docket, Molina will give way to Tony Cruz in the first outing. Meanwhile, he is batting .275/.333/.420 with two homers in 69 at-bats in July, though his average on the year still sits at second in the National League at .331.
Jul 27 2013Molina was 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a losing cause against the Braves on Friday night.Other than his second inning long ball, the Cardinals just couldn't solve lefty Mike Minor. Molina, well-known for his spectacular play behind the plate, is also having a dynamic season in the batter's box with a .335 average to go with eight home runs and 54 RBI.
Jul 25 2013Molina went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in a 11-3 Cardinals win over the Phillies Wednesday.Molina has now recorded a hit in five out of his last six games after going hitless in six straight. The 31-year-old is the game's top defensive catcher and has produced at an extremely consistent rate so far this season. He's currently the front-runner for the NL MVP and batting crown.
Jul 14 2013Molina went 4-for-6 with a two-run home run and four RBI in Sunday's win over the Cubs.Molina finishes the first half with a slash of .341/.386/.489 and leads the National League in hitting. He'll head to the All-Star Game on a bright note as he was 0-for-15 in his last six games played before Sunday's outburst.
Jul 13 2013Molina is not in the starting lineup Saturday against the Cubs, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports.It's the second time in four days that Molina has been out of the lineup, but considering he's just 2-for-12 against right-hander Matt Garza, and will be starting behind the plate in Tuesday's All-Star game, it seems fair to give Molina another rest. He's actually 0-for-his-last-14, but is still leading the National League with a .335 average.
Jul 10 2013Molina is not in Wednesday's lineup against the Astros, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Manager Mike Matheny said that he wants to give Molina more rest, and now the star catcher is sitting for the second time in three games. It's possible that his knee is still hurting, although we can't confirm that at the moment.
Jul 10 2013Molina will see more time off going forward, the Cardinals' official website reports.Molina started 79 of the Cardinals' first 85 games, handling a workload that is unusual for a catcher in the modern game. Apparently manager Mike Matheny was already planning to reduce Molina's playing time to accommodate the summer heat, and a recent bout with knee inflammation likely reinforced that idea. Molina returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing the previous two games because of his sore knee.
Jul 9 2013Molina (knee) is back in the lineup Tuesday against the Astros, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina missed the last two games with inflammation in his knee, but appears ready to play Tuesday. The All-Star catcher will look to continue his stellar season, as he is hitting .346/.388/.490 to this point.
Jul 9 2013Molina returned to action and walked and scored a run Tuesday against the Astros.Molina had missed the previous two games with inflammation in his knee, and given how regularly he catches, it's amazing stuff like this doesn't pop up more often. Still, he had three plate appearances Tuesday before giving way to Tony Cruz. The Cardinals are now carrying three catchers with Tuesday's call up of Rob Johnson, so at the very least, look for Molina to be spelled more often than usual over the next couple weeks.
Jul 7 2013Molina was diagnosed with knee inflammation and an MRI came back clean, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina was not in the lineup Saturday and left the ballpark to undergo tests on the ailing knee. He'll likely sit out a few games to rest and could return as early as Tuesday. Tony Cruz will start at catcher Sunday in his absence.
Jul 6 2013Molina is not in the Cardinals' lineup Saturday versus the Marlins, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina will ride the pine for just the fifth time this season, thereby giving way to Tony Cruz at catcher. In his first four appearances in July, Molina is keeping up an NL-leading .346 average with six hits across his first 16 at-bats. Expect him back in the fold for Sunday's series finale.
Jul 6 2013Molina left the ballpark during Saturday's game to undergo an MRI on his right knee, mlb.com's Jennifer Langosch reports.The Cardinals are reportedly optimistic that the injury is minor, but the fact that Molina had the MRI is cause for some concern. Results will likely be available late Saturday or early Sunday.
Jun 26 2013Molina started at first base Wednesday, going 2-for-4 with a two-run shot in the loss to the Astros.Molina started at first base for just the second time this season. Manager Mike Matheny said that he would like to give Molina a few more starts at first this season in order to keep his All-Star catcher's knees fresh. While this won't be a frequent occurrence, he could potentially gain first base eligibility depending on your league's rules.
Jun 20 2013Molina went 1-for-4 with the go-ahead two-run home run in the Cardinals' 4-1 win over Chicago on Wednesday.The home run was Molina's fifth of the season and gave him 41 RBI to go along with a league best .365 batting average. It's still early but Molina is looking like a top candidate for National League MVP honors.
Jun 18 2013Molina went 3-for-3 with three singles in Tuesday's loss to the Cubs.Molina is now hitting an MLB-best .367 with four home runs and 39 RBI on the season. He's reached base safely in each of his last 14 games.
Jun 17 2013Molina went 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run scored and one double Monday against the Cubs.Molina has eight multi-hit games in June and continues to be one of the most reliable fantasy catchers as he is hitting .355 with four home runs and 38 RBI overall this season.
Jun 16 2013Molina is not in the lineup Sunday against the Marlins, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina has started the last nine games behind the plate for the Cardinals, so he'll be getting a well-deserved day off. Tony Cruz will do the catching for starting pitcher Tyler Lyons.
Jun 13 2013Molina went 3-for-4 with two doubles in Wednesday's loss to New York and is now hitting .358 on the season.The .358 mark puts him even with Miguel Cabrera for the best batting average in baseball. His .382 BABIP figures to fall a bit so he's likely not going to hit for this high of average all season. Molina should still be in the running for the NL MVP at seasons end and could very well be the best catcher in baseball, both offensively and defensively.
Jun 5 2013Molina has dropped his appeal of his one-game suspension, and he will serve the penalty Wednesday night, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina was able to play while appealing his suspension, but he will be unavailable Wednesday after accepting his fate. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate for the Cardinals on Wednesday.
Jun 3 2013Molina has been suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount of money for making contact with umpire Mike Everitt on Sunday, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports.Molina has appealed the suspension, so he'll be eligible to play in Monday's opener against Arizona, but it seems his outburst Sunday will cost Molina one game. If Major League Baseball upholds the suspension, which seems likely, Molina will likely sit either Tuesday or Wednesday.
Jun 3 2013Molina, who is in the process of appealing a one-game suspension, went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and two RBI in Monday's 7-1 win over the Diamondbacks.Molina will likely have to miss a game this week, and it seems that a suspension is the only thing capable of stopping him. He leads the National League with a .350 batting average, though he still has just four home runs in 200 at-bats this season.
Jun 2 2013Molina was ejected from Sunday's loss to San Francisco following a close call at first base. He finished the game 0-for-2 at the plate.Molina immediately threw his helmet to the ground, which spurred the quick call and was followed by apparent physical contact, albeit incidental, with at least one ump. Such contact usually results in some type of suspension, so those in weekly leagues may be without his services for a time this week. There is a precedent for a suspension following an encounter between Molina and an umpire: in 2011, he was suspended five games following a more severe altercation, meaning his stay on the sidelines could approach that number.
Jun 1 2013Molina is not in the starting lineup for Game 1 against the Giants on Saturday, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports.He'll almost certainly catch the nightcap, however, after getting a rare break from the starting lineup in favor of Tony Cruz on Saturday afternoon.
May 30 2013Molina went 3-for-4 in Wednesday's win over Kansas City, his fourth multi-hit game in the past six contests.In about a week's time Molina has raised his average from an already impressive .319 to .355, good for fourth best in all of baseball. If Molina can find his power stroke he could easily be baseball's best offensive and defensive catcher this season.
May 28 2013Molina is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Royals, according to FOX Sports Midwest.Molina has started every game since May 16, so he will get a well-earned day off Tuesday despite recording 10 hits over his last five games. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
May 27 2013Molina went 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, two walks, two runs, and four RBI in Monday's 6-3 win over the Royals.Molina has 10 hits in his last 16 at-bats, a stretch that has raised his batting average to a lofty .346 for the season. He normally occupies the No. 5 spot in the Cardinals' lineup, but hit second Monday afternoon while Matt Holliday got some rest.
May 26 2013Molina went 3-for-5 with a double, a RBI and a run scored in a loss to the Dodgers on Saturday.Molina is batting .370 in May and will continue to be one of the best catchers in baseball, both on the field and in the box score.
May 26 2013Molina went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Saturday's loss to the Dodgers.Molina now sports a .339 average and .817 OPS on the saeson. He ranks third in the NL in batting and fifth among catchers in RBI.
May 23 2013Molina went 4-for-5 with an RBI in Wednesday's win over the Padres.Molina is now hitting .360 with a .813 OPS in the month of May. On the season, he's hitting .333 - good for fourth in the National League.
May 15 2013Molina is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets.Molina doesn't sit much, but since he is just 1-for-11 over his last three games, manager Mike Matheny decided to give him Wednesday off. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
May 11 2013Molina went 2-for-4 with a double against the Rockies on Friday and extended his hit streak to 10 games.Molina has been on fire lately with seven multi-hit games during this streak and is batting .461 (18-for-39) over this span. However, the fantasy help he's provided lately has been limited to just batting average and OBP as he has just three RBI and four runs scored during this streak. He also hasn't hit a home run since April 12, keeping him way off-pace from his 22-home run season from last year.
May 7 2013Molina (hand) is in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Cubs, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reportsMolina was struck by a pitch on the right hand during Sunday's game, but he is good to go following Monday's team off day. Molina will catch Lance Lynn and bat fifth Tuesday night.
May 6 2013Molina does not expect his bruised throwing hand to keep him out of Tuesday's game, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina has started all but one of the Cardinals 32 games this season. He's one of the top catchers in the game and is currently hitting .328/.361/.457 with 17 RBI.
May 1 2013Molina went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the Cards' win over the Reds on Wednesday.The pair of hits lifted Molina's average to .320 for the season. Other than the career-high 22 homers he swatted a year ago, Molina is on pace for similar marks in the batting average and RBI departments through the first 26 games.
Apr 20 2013Molina notched his second straight three-hit game against the Phillies in a victory Saturday.Molina had three singles and a RBI in the game raising his batting average to .328. In addition to his contributions with the bat, he managed a Cardinals pitching staff to a shutout in which the team only allowed three hits and struck out 10 batters.
Apr 19 2013Molina is not in Friday's lineup against the Phillies, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina, who has started each of the Cardinals' past six games, will get the day off in favor of Tony Cruz.
Apr 19 2013Molina filled up the box score in Thursday's win over Philadelphia, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, a double and a stolen base.Only Molina, Matt Wieters, Miguel Montero, John Buck and Salvador Perez have played catcher in all of their teams games this season. Molina should continue to be one of the most valuable catchers in the league.
Apr 13 2013Molina went 2-for-3 with a solo home run against the Brewers on Friday.It was Molina's second home run of the season and a nice parting shot in the seventh for former battery-mate Kyle Lohse. He has now hit safely in his last five games and remains a fantastic option in all formats.
Apr 10 2013Molina went 1-for-5 with a run scored in Wednesday's win over the Reds.As expected, Molina is seeing his usually heavy workload behind the plate for the Cards. He's now 10-for-42 to begin the season, but the lineup around him looks very strong and there are plenty of reasons to believe he can maintain something on the level of his numbers from the last two seasons.
Oct 3 2012Molina is not in the starting lineup Wednesday, FOX Sports Midwest reports.The Cardinals are resting all their regulars with a one-game playoff against the Braves looming Friday. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate Wednesday.
Sep 29 2012Molina went 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, a home run and three RBI against the Nationals on Friday.It's another season of career-highs for Molina who just seems to keep improving with age. He's now batting .320 on the year with 63 runs scored, 22 home runs,75 RBI and 12 stolen bases and is showing no signs of slowing down. While people are so quick to mention names like Joe Mauer and Carlos Santana as the second best fantasy catcher behind Buster Posey, it is Molina who has proven to be the best overall option behind the Giants backstop.
Sep 24 2012Molina (back) is in the lineup Monday, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina's back tightness was evidently not that serious, as it only kept it out for Sunday, a day in which he may have received off in any case. He'll bat fifth for the Cardinals as he looks to build on his career season.
Sep 24 2012Molina hit his 21st home run of the season in his return to the lineup Monday.Molina finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk. Molina is hitting .321 this season with the 21 home runs, 71 RBI, and 61 runs scored.
Sep 23 2012Molina (back) is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Cubs, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina was forced out of Saturday's game with back tightness. For what it's worth, he sat three games in mid-August with a similar injury. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate and bat seventh Sunday.
Sep 22 2012Molina left Saturday's game in the ninth inning with an injury, ESPN's Buster Olney reports.Molina was able to get out of the way of an inside pitch from Chicago's Carlos Marmol, but he couldn't finish his at-bat and had to be removed from the game. The exact nature of the injury is unclear at the moment, but that information should be available after the game. For the time being you can consider Molina day-to-day.
Sep 22 2012Molina said the back tightness that forced him from Saturday's game is similar to the stiffness he suffered in August, Jen Langosch of MLB.com reports.He sat for three games in mid-August because of lower-back tightness, so we should be looking at a similar timetable for this injury. Tony Cruz and Bryan Anderson should team up behind the plate in his stead.
Sep 22 2012Updating a previous report, Molina left Saturday's game because of back spasms, mlb.com's Jennifer Langosch reports.We were expecting something a bit more severe based on Molina's angry reaction to the injury, but his fantasy owners surely won't be complaining. Consider him day-to-day for now, and look for Tony Cruz and Bryan Anderson to see more playing time behind the plate if Molina can't go.
Sep 19 2012Molina went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk against the Astros on Wednesday.The home run gave Molina 20 for the first time in his career. His season has been remarkable not just for the numbers he's putting up, but also for the consistency with which he's done so. Molina has an OPS of at least .771 every month this season, and appears to have rediscovered his power stroke after hitting only one homer during the month of August.
Sep 15 2012Molina went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a solo home run against the Dodgers on Friday.It's another season of career-highs for the Cardinals backstop here as he's batting .322 with 58 runs scored, 19 home run, 66 RBI and 11 stolen bases on the year. Though his strikeout rate is the highest it's been since 2007, it's still just at 10-percent with contact rates that would make any player envious, let alone catchers. If fantasy owners weren't convinced after last season;s breakout, they should be now. Molina should probably be ranked amongst the top five at the position for next season.
Sep 8 2012Molina went 2-for-6 with a game-tying two-run home run in the eight inning against the Brewers on Friday.Molina did his best to get the Cardinals back into this one but they were unable to complete the comeback as Ryan Braun homered in the 13th inning to put them away. Molina's 18 home runs is a new career-best and with his 65th RBI on Friday, he tied his career-high there as well. He's really turned into an offensive force these last two seasons and even at 30-years old, he is showing no sign of slowing down at all.
Sep 5 2012Molina is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Mets, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.It's just a break for Molina during Wednesday's matinee, as he will give way to Tony Cruz to catch starter Adam Wainwright.
Sep 2 2012Molina is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals, according to FOX Sports Midwest.Molina played a full nine innings Saturday for the first time since being involved in a collision at the plate in Tuesday's game, but he will still get Sunday off to rest. As long as he has put his sore neck behind him, expect Molina to return to action Monday.
Sep 1 2012Molina (neck) is in fact starting behind the plate Saturday at Washington, FOX Sports reports.Molina was still in obvious pain Friday following Tuesday's collision at the plate, and actually left Thursday's and Friday's tilts early. After three consecutive starts, though, expect Molina to sit Sunday to preserve his health for the Cardinals' fading playoff hopes.
Sep 1 2012Molina moved slowly behind the plate Friday and may get Saturday off, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina appears to still be feeling the effects of Tuesday's massive collision. He left the game both Thursday's and Friday's games early, and appears that he's not ready for full-time yet. With the Cardinals' playoff hopes fading, Molina may get pushed a little harder in the next few weeks, but if they don't do something soon, don't be surprised to see him shut down for a significant chunk of September.
Aug 30 2012Molina, who sat out Wednesday's game after a violent collision at the plate Tuesday, said his headache and shoulder pain are gone, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.His neck is still a little stiff, but he expects to be back in the lineup Thursday or Friday.
Aug 30 2012Molina (neck) is back in the lineup Thursday, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina took a hard hit during Tuesday's game, but should be fine going forward.
Aug 29 2012As expected, Molina (back/shoulder/neck) is not in the lineup Wednesday at Pittsburgh, FOX Sports Midwest reports.With no concussion to report after Tuesday's collision at the plate with the Pirates' Josh Harrison, Molina will still likely miss a few more games due to a sore upper body.
Aug 28 2012Molina left Tuesday's contest at Pittsburgh with an upper back, left shoulder, and neck strain, the Cardinals' official site reports.While the Cardinals consider Molina's status day-to-day, don't be surprised if he misses at least a few games with the malady.
Aug 28 2012Molina left Tuesday's game with an apparent head injury after a collision at the plate with the Pirates' Josh Harrison, the Cardinals' official site reports.Harrison's left shoulder appeared to crash into Molina's left temple, leaving Molina very woozy as he was helped off the field. There is no word on the severity of the injury, but Tony Cruz, who entered the game for Molina, will take on any starts Molina misses if in fact a concussion occurred.
Aug 26 2012Molina (ankle) returned to the lineup Sunday against the Reds.This might linger a little longer as an issue, but so long as the Cardinals are in the Wild Card race (and the NL Central, for that matter), Molina likely will have to play through it.
Aug 25 2012Molina sat out Saturday's game with a sore ankle, the Associated Press reports.The injury happened a couple of days ago, and he's been able to play since the injury, so the implication here is that it's not too serious. Whether he plays Sunday will help define the severity of the issue.
Aug 25 2012Freese is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds, according to the Cardinals' official Twitter page.Molina will get the day off after starting the last four games behind the plate. Molina has recorded multiple hits in six of his last eight games, so expect him to return to action Sunday.
Aug 25 2012Molina was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a solo home run against the Reds on Friday night.His redhot season continues with these three hits bumping his average to .328 on the year. Now with 17 long ones, and 61 RBI, he has been one of the best producing catchers in the game.
Aug 18 2012Molina (back) is back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates, according to the Cardinals' official Twitter page.Molina missed the last three games with the sore back, but he will be back behind the dish Saturday after the short break. Molina will bat sixth for the Cardinals on Saturday.
Aug 18 2012Molina (back) went 3-for-4 in his return to the lineup during Saturday's 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.Molina broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run double in the fifth inning, and the Cardinals would hold on to win despite a ninth-inning rally by the Pirates. After this performance it's probably safe to say that Molina's back isn't bothering him. Get him back in your lineup ASAP if you haven't already.
Aug 17 2012Molina (back), who missed Wednesday's and Thursday's game, indicated that he felt improvement in his condition, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.That said, he doesn't want to force the issue and cost himself additional time. As of now, Molina is just day-to-day and not expected to be placed on the disabled list.
Aug 17 2012Molina (back) is not in the lineup Friday, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Molina should still be considered day-to-day for now and could return at some point during this weekend's series against the Pirates.
Aug 16 2012Molina (lower-back tightness) is not in the lineup Thursday against the Diamondbacks, the Cardinals' official Twitter reports.Molina will sit out the final game of the three-game series with Arizona after appearing in Tuesday's game. He remains day-to-day, but expect him to be in the lineup Friday and Saturday, with a scheduled off day likely on tap for Sunday's day game.
Aug 15 2012Molina will not start Wednesday due to tightness in his lower back, according to FOX Sports Midwest.Molina played in Tuesday's game, so it's likely that his setback is not overly serious. Consider Molina day-to-day for now.
Aug 12 2012Molina is not in the lineup Sunday, the Cardinals' official Twitter page reports.Molina will be out of the lineup after catching nine straight games. Tony Cruz will catch Lance Lynn on Sunday.
Aug 4 2012Molina returned to the lineup and went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases against the Brewers on Friday.It doesn't appear as if the thumb injury is a bother anymore as Molina jumped right back in and hit safely in his seventh straight game, including four straight multi-hit performances. He's now batting .315 on the year with 16 home runs and 10 stolen bases.
Aug 3 2012Molina (thumb) is back in the lineup for Friday's game against the Brewers, according to the Cardinals' official Twitter page.Molina was held out of Thursday's game with the injury, but apparently the setback was only minor, as Molina will return to action just one day later. Molina will bat sixth in the Cardinals' batting order Friday night.
Aug 2 2012Molina, who is not in Thursday's lineup, has a sprained right thumb, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Molina injured his thumb on a slide into first base Wednesday night. He will have X-rays in St. Louis on Friday, so Molina looks questionable, at best, for Friday's game against Milwaukee.
Jul 26 2012Molina is not in the starting lineup Thursday against the Dodgers, Fox Sports Midwest reports.Molina gets a breather with a day game against the Cubs looming Friday.
Jul 22 2012Molina is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Cubs, FOX Sports Midwest's official Twitter page reports.Tony Cruz will start behind the plate and bat eighth against lefty Travis Wood. Molina, who caught each of the Cardinals' first eight games back from the All-Star break, will get a rest after going 1-for-10 in his last three starts.
Jul 14 2012Molina went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's loss to the Reds.He also drew a walk in the game. Molina is 3-for-8 in the first two games following the All-Star break, and there is no reason to believe that he won't have a strong second half of the season to follow a great first half of the season.
Jul 14 2012Molina went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored Friday in his return to the lineup.Prior to the All-Star break, Molina was placed on the bereavement list and was forced to miss the mid-summer classic. Look for him to handle his usual heavy workload as the Cards' starting backstop throughout the second half.
Jul 6 2012Molina will miss the All-Star game due to a family emergency, MLB.com reports.Molina was placed on the bereavement list Friday and will also miss the entirety of the team's weekend series against the Marlins. Expect him to return to the team immediately following the All-Star break. Matt Holliday will replace Molina on the National League roster.
Jul 6 2012Molina was placed on the bereavement list Friday, FSN Midwest reports.Molina is dealing with a personal matter, and the Cardinals could very well be without him for the entirety of the weekend series with the Marlins. Bryan Anderson was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to take his spot on the active roster.
Jun 30 2012Molina is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates, according to FOX Sports Midwest.Molina rarely sits, but he will open on the bench Saturday for the second time in three games. Since he caught all nine innings Friday, the Cardinals are likely just trying to give him a break due to the excessive heat in St. Louis. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate Saturday.
Jun 27 2012Molina is not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Marlins, the team's official Twitter reports.The team will rest Molina to give him a break from the hot Miami weather. Tony Cruz will start behind the plate for the Cardinals.
Jun 17 2012Molina is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Royals, B.J. Rains of FOXSpotsMidwest.com reports.He'll take a seat for the first time since June 5 and will let Tony Cruz take over behind the plate. Molina, who launched his ninth home run of the year Saturday, will likely be available as a pinch hitter and should return to the lineup Tuesday against Detroit.
Jun 12 2012Molina will hit second Tuesday against the White Sox, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Molina has hit well all season, but this will be his first time hitting second in the lineup in 2012. He will be hitting in front of Matt Holliday in the lineup.
Jun 5 2012Molina is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Astros, according to FOX Sports Midwest.Molina will get the night off after catching each of the four games in the Cardinals' previous series with the Mets. Tony Cruz will get the start behind the plate in Molina's place.
May 29 2012Molina went 4-for-4 with his eighth home run of the season Tuesday against the Braves.It's been something of a year of the catcher, and as such Yadier Molina's fantastic start (.337/.379/.556) has gone a bit under the radar. So far, he has very much played to the level his new five-year, $75 million contract has demanded. Don't expect the average to stay quite so high, but the power he's shown early on is very encouraging.
May 28 2012Molina (dehydration) went 1-for-5 while catching all nine innings Monday in the win over Atlanta.Everything appears to be OK for him after an early exit Sunday, so look for Molina to continue receiving a heavy workload as the Cards' primary backstop.
May 27 2012Molina is back in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies, the Cardinals' official Twitter page reports.Molina started nine straight before taking a seat Saturday in favor of Tony Cruz. It's safe to put Molina, who's batting an impressive .316/.363/.513 on the year, back into fantasy lineups though he's just 1-for-5 in his career against Roy Halladay.
May 27 2012Molina was removed from Sunday's game due to dehydration, the FOX Sports Midwest's B.J. Rains reports.Molina was removed for precautionary reasons, and there's no reason to think that he'll miss extended time. The Cardinals have another day game Monday, so it's possible he'll get a day off to be safe. We'll know more leading up to Monday's game against the Braves.
May 26 2012Molina is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies, according to the Cardinals' official Twitter page.Molina has picked up six hits over his last two games, but since he has started the last nine straight, he will get a day off Thursday. Tony Cruz will bat seventh and catch Jaime Garcia on Saturday.
May 24 2012Molina went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Thursday's loss to Philadelphia.Molina continues to perform at a high level, outproducing catchers like Mike Napoli and Brian McCann, who were generally drafted ahead of him.
May 17 2012Molina was rested Wednesday with the plan that he'd start the last four games of the current road trip, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Start him this weekend as you normally would.
May 10 2012Molina did not play Wednesday, but his hand is just bruised and he feels like he'll be able to play Friday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The Cardinals are off Thursday, so they won't have to rush Molina back. He injured the hand attempting to catch a Mitchell Boggs pitch.
May 9 2012Molina (bruised hand) will probably have a couple more exams to confirm that he didn't do anything more than bruise it, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.It's a positive sign that the Cardinals don't intend to call up another catcher, assuming instead that Molina will only need a day or two off.
May 8 2012Molina left Wedesday's win over Arizona in the ninth inning after taking a ball off his left hand while catching, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. X-rays on the injury came back clean.Molina may need a day or two off due to the injury, but it doesn't sound like a significant setback.
May 3 2012Molina is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates, according to the Cardinals' official Twitter page.Thanks to team off days, Molina has started every game since Apr. 20. However, with the Cardinals in the midst of a run in which they play eight games in eight days, and the team playing a day game Thursday, manager Mike Matheny elected to give Molina the day off. Expect him to be back in the lineup for Friday's series opener against the Astros.
May 2 2012Molina stole two bases Tuesday, giving him four on the season.Molina's growth as a hitter reached a level that made him one of the top fantasy catchers in the game last year when he hit 14 home runs and batted .305. If he adds stolen bases to his repertoire - and he stole nine in 2009 and eight in 2010 - he could be the first catcher taken off the board in the 2013 draft.
Apr 28 2012Molina went 4-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Saturday's 7-3 win over Milwaukee.It was an ideal day for Molina, who received his Gold Glove award and the first ever Platinum Glove (for best defensive player in baseball regardless of position) before the game. His two-run homer off of Marco Estrada in the sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie. Molina is currently batting .324 with four homers, 14 runs, 15 RBI and two stolen bases on the year. He is well on his way to equaling or surpassing the career year he had in 2011.
Apr 24 2012Molina was hitless in three at-bats Monday.Molina did drive in a run on a sacrifice fly, but he has just one hit in his last 13 at-bats. He's off to a good start this year with seven doubles and three home runs, but the last week hasn't gone as well as the first couple.
Apr 14 2012Molina went 2-for-4 with a run scored, a stolen base and two RBI in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Cardinals.Molina is off to a strong start following his career year in 2011. It would not be a surprise if he keeps this up and repeats last year's numbers.