Yadier Molina Injury: Updates on Cardinals Star's Hand and Return

Yadier Molina will undergo surgery after battling a thumb injury that kept him out of the team's final 2015 postseason game as the St. Louis Cardinals saw their season end at the hands of the Chicago Cubs.

He originally injured his hand when Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo slid into home on Sept. 20, suffering a partially torn ligament in his left thumb.

Continue for updates.

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Mozeliak Comments on Molina's Recovery, Status for 2016

Thursday, Oct. 15

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said Molina will be unable to take part in baseball activity for eight to 12 weeks, but he added the catcher "should be ready for spring training."

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Matheny Comments on Molina's Injury

Tuesday, Oct. 13

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Molina has "considerable weakness" in the injured left hand, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

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Molina Is Crucial to Cards' Title Hopes in 2016

It wasn't a surprise to see Molina struggling offensively in the NLDS, as this season had been a difficult one for the 33-year-old. He did play in 136 games, but his .660 OPS was his worst since 2006 and the third-worst mark of his career. 

Molina is a seven-time All-Star, a former Silver Slugger winner and a seven-time Gold Glove winner. The Cardinals' pitching staff boasted a sparkling 2.79 ERA in games Molina caught before he went down with the thumb injury, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. 

Now that St. Louis' season is over, the team can allow Molina to get healthy before reloading for another run at a World Series title.