Prior to Friday’s game, the Cardinals placed third baseman Blaze Jordan on the 10-day injured list due to a left ankle sprain.  Utilityman Thomas Saggese was called up from Triple-A to take Jordan’s spot on the active roster.

The IL placement was no surprise given that Jordan was forced out of Thursday’s 7-5 win over the Orioles.  In the eighth inning, Gunnar Henderson headed from second to third on a grounder back to the mound, and pitcher George Soriano threw to Jordan at third base to complete the fielder’s choice out.  Jordan had to make an awkward pivot to corral the throw and remain on the bag, and the result was the ankle sprain that now puts the rest of his rookie season in jeopardy.

Jordan told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other reporters that tests didn’t reveal any structural damage.  More will be known about Jordan’s potential recovery timeline once his swelling subsides in a few days, but Goold wrote that Jordan is “expected to miss several weeks.”  With less than a month left in the regular season, chances are that Jordan won’t have enough runway left to get back into a few more games before the Cards conclude their schedule.

A third-round pick for the Cardinals in the 2020 draft, Jordan made his MLB debut on June 12, after Nolan Gorman was optioned to Triple-A in a shakeup of the team’s third base picture.  Jordan has hit .247/.276/.382 with three homers over his first 199 plate appearances in the majors, and the right-handed hitter has performed much better against left-handed pitching (.823 OPS) than against righties (.556 OPS).

St. Louis is 68-68 and remains on the outskirts of the wild card race in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the team.  Jordan was one of many young players who got an extended dose of playing time, and between his splits and his respectable defensive work at third base, Jordan had made a case for himself as at least a backup option heading into 2027.  Beyond his work at the hot corner, Jordan has also gotten some action at first base, making him an interesting platoon option since Alec Burleson has continued to struggle against southpaws.

Cardinals third basemen have combined for just -0.1 bWAR in 2026, as the Phillies (-0.2 bWAR) are the only team in baseball to receive less from the hot corner.  With none of Gorman, Jordan, Saggese, or Jose Fermin stepping up as an everyday option, St. Louis could look to re-sign Ramon Urias or bring in another veteran to help solidify the position, particularly if the Cards think their respectable 2026 record is a sign that they can contend next year.