PT TOMORROW: NL Central—Thumb injuries leave gaping holes in contenders' lineups

St. Louis Cardinals

Yadier Molina (C, STL) suffered a torn thumb ligament July 9, and is expected to miss 8-12 weeks of action. Losing him is obviously a huge blow, as he's arguably the game's top all-around catcher. 

Tony Cruz (C, STL) has been serving as Molina's backup the past few seasons, and is likely to see most of the work behind the plate in the short-term. In limited playing time across the past four seasons, he's posted a .236/.280/.323 line, with two home runs and a 68 PX. 

At the time of Molina's injury, the Cardinals were lacking in alternatives, but have since made a move, claiming George Kottaras (C, STL) off waivers from Cleveland. He certainly offers more than Cruz in terms of power, having hit 32 home runs, with a 143...

Almost!

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