ST. LOUIS -- The rookie Cardinals outfielder crashes into walls for fun, so it was no surprise to see the toughness in Nathan Church on display as he lobbied to stay in Wednesday’s game at Busch Stadium after being hit by a pitch.
With the Cardinals manager and trainer out to check on him in the second inning after he was struck on the left leg by a 97.5 mph fastball from Brewers starter Brandon Sproat, Church jogged down the right field line, not once, but twice, to demonstrate his ability to run on the leg.
Slightly hobbled as he was, Church temporarily remained in the contest, running the bases for himself and playing the top of the third inning, defensively.
As that’s the type of injury that tends to tighten up in the minutes that follow, though, Church was replaced in left field by José Fermín to begin the top of the fourth inning.
The Cardinals announced that Church was removed from the game due to a left leg contusion.
With multiple home run robberies already to his credit in 2026, Church has been a regular for the Cardinals in left field this season as mainstay left fielder Lars Nootbaar continues his recovery from offseason double heel surgery.
Nootbaar is expected to head out on what will likely be a lengthy rehab assignment as early as next week.