MEMPHIS, Tenn — Willson Contreras, by all accounts, is ahead of schedule.
The St. Louis Cardinals catcher is spending the week in Memphis for a rehab stint after fracturing his forearm on May 8 against the New York Mets. Doctors initially gave Contreras a diagnosis of 6-10 weeks. He decided he liked the challenge and is back to playing baseball in week seven.
"Definitely thankful for being back to playing baseball. The injury I had wasn't easy but I put my mind into the right place to overcome that injury and play before seven weeks and get back to my level and go back to help the team," Contreras told media on Thursday.
The three-time All-Star played two games as designated hitter and a third behind the plate. In eight at bats he's collected two hits and a RBI. Contreras hopes to find his timing soon enough and plans to join the big league squad by the following week. According to Redbirds manager Ben Johnson, that plan seems to be on schedule.
"It looks good, it really did. He's explosive back there. He's real explosive with the bat right now so everything I see I feel really good about," Johnson said. "I'm relaying that message that he's healthy and it's just a matter of getting his timing."
"As a guy, as a player you want to put yourself in the best spot before you go up to the team and help in anyway I can," Contreras said. "My main goal here is to go through this game without pain without anything in particular, getting my timing right and getting my body in shape again."
The Redbirds continue a six game series with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp through Sunday, June 23. Contreras expects to play at least one more game as a catcher.