Winn returns from IL; Saggese to shift into utility role

SAN FRANCISCO – The Cardinals’ stretch of 15 games without the services of shortstop Masyn Winn has come to an end.

Prior to Tuesday’s game against the Giants at Oracle Park, St. Louis activated Winn from the 10-day injured list, where he’d been since Aug. 25 (retroactive to Aug. 22) with a left thumb fracture that he sustained sliding into second base on Aug. 21. The Cardinals went 6-9 in those 15 games.

In a corresponding move, infielder César Prieto was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.

Winn participated in pregame drills before Monday’s 5-4 loss to the Giants and was in consideration as a late lineup addition, but the club opted to give him one more day off before inserting him back into the mix.

“It was late in the day, he still wanted to test a couple other things out, and it was one of those where [we] didn't want to keep the existing infielders on edge as far as ‘am I in, am I out,’” said manager Oliver Marmol. “So we just decided to keep the lineup knowing he's going to sleep, knowing that the lineup’s set with him in it [today].”

In 122 games this season, Winn is slashing .238/.314/.326 with 19 doubles and 51 RBIs. But while his offense has been a bit of a downturn from his previous two seasons as a full-time player, Winn’s 2025 Gold Glove-winning defense has continued to shine: His 15 outs above average entering play Tuesday ranks fourth best in the Majors.

In Winn’s absence, Thomas Saggese played nine games at short (with eight starts) and was a spark for the offense, hitting .517/.543/.931 (15-for-29) with six extra-base hits and three homers (with two coming in one burst of a game at Dodger Stadium).

Needless to say, Saggese made the most of that opportunity, with Marmol suggesting the Cardinals could “rotate him through” since he can take reps at short as well as second base. And with second baseman JJ Wetherholt reportedly aiming at the Cardinals’ next homestand for his return off the injured list (per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch), Saggese could also see time at third and/or left field.

“It's what you want when you give somebody an opportunity, whether it's based on just straight-up opportunity or because of an injury, that they open up your eyes to what's possible, and he did that,” said Marmol. “This is a guy that hit a decent amount in the Minor Leagues, coming all the way through, and we started to see some of that at the big league level. Sometimes that takes time, but he seemed more settled. He took very good at-bats. He was taking at-bats, not chasing hits, but doing what the game was calling for.

“Like yesterday, trying to go backside, runner on second [when Saggese hit a deep fly ball to right field in the 11th, advancing Joshua Báez to third]. Those are the things that, once you start seeing the game and reacting to it that way, it's awesome.”