Masyn Winn is showing impressive toughness as he pushes to stay on the field for the St. Louis Cardinals despite a knee injury.
The Cardinals, while not mathematically out of the playoff race, are facing long odds. They trail the New York Mets by 4.5 games for the final National League Wild Card spot, with four teams ahead of them in the standings. Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners didn’t help, but the team isn’t giving up—especially not their young star shortstop, Masyn Winn.
Winn sat out Tuesday night’s game, with Thomas Saggese filling in at shortstop. Although it’s unclear if his absence will extend beyond one game, it’s become evident that a torn meniscus is affecting him enough to require rest.
Still, the 23-year-old is eager to keep playing as long as his knee allows. He acknowledged that something will likely need to be addressed in the offseason, but for now, he wants to finish the season strong.
“Some stuff is going to have to be done this offseason to help me out. I want to finish the year as strong as possible. I was told I probably can’t do too much worse to it. If I can’t hurt myself any further because of this, then I want to be out there,” Winn said, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic.
Given Winn’s importance to the franchise, the team will likely proceed with caution regarding his injury. Still, his determination to continue playing has only strengthened his connection with fans.
Winn Emerging as a Key Piece for the Cardinals
In just his first two full MLB seasons, Winn has already proven himself as a valuable player. He has accumulated 7.1 WAR (per FanGraphs), largely thanks to his standout defense at one of the most demanding positions on the field.
Offensively, there’s still room for growth. Winn posted a wRC+ of 104 in his rookie season—slightly above league average. This year, that number has dropped to 91, with his power numbers in decline. However, at just 23 years old, there’s optimism that he’ll continue to develop at the plate. The key will be staying healthy and overcoming the injury setbacks that may be affecting his performance.
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