'He's feeling a lot better': Cards have timetable for Yadi's return

ST. LOUIS -- Uncertain for weeks as to when Yadier Molina would return from his native Puerto Rico to heal his inflamed right knee and refresh mentally, the Cardinals finally have some clarity about their veteran catcher’s immediate future.

Manager Oliver Marmol said that Molina will report to an unspecified rehab assignment the last week of July with the intention of returning to St. Louis as a full-time catcher by the beginning of August. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak talked with the 39-year-old Molina on Tuesday and discussed a plan for the catcher’s return to the team he has played with for 19 seasons.

“It’s encouraging because most people didn’t understand where and when we might see Yadi again,” Mozeliak said. “At least now we have some framework of what this looks like, and everybody [on the Cardinals] was excited to hear this. Overall, I look at this like an aggregate state, and the fact that he’s eying a return to play, that’s really encouraging.”

Mozeliak said a site for Molina’s rehab has been agreed upon, but he did not want to give the specifics until closer to the report date. Marmol said he is uncertain as to whether Molina will rejoin the squad at any point prior to going on a rehab assignment. Triple-A Memphis or Jupiter, Fla., home of the team's Spring Training headquarters, are two leading options for Molina to go to conduct his rehab assignment.

“I had checked in regularly with him, and we had discussed a plan last week. And given all of the questions being asked, I reached out to him [Tuesday] just to let him know that I think we should let this go public,” said Mozeliak of the return plan for Molina, who took to Instagram to post a picture of himself in a Cardinals uniform Tuesday. “We both agreed, and we let everybody know what our intentions are. Hopefully now we can keep to the schedule and have him back on our club in early August.

“Obviously, we’re not activating him tomorrow, so there’s still some time,” Mozeliak said. “But he’s encouraged with where he’s at to the point that we thought we could share this.”

Molina, who will turn 40 years old Wednesday, went on the 10-day injured list June 17, retroactive to June 16, and has since missed 24 games. Mozeliak said last week that he worked out a plan that would allow the veteran catcher to rehab his inflamed right knee near his home in Puerto Rico. At the time when he left, there was no firm timetable set on a return for Molina, who has been bothered all season by swelling, stiffness and pain in his right knee.

Marmol said the time away has done wonders for the veteran catcher, and he is confident that Molina will be refreshed and healthy when he returns. It is also helpful, Marmol said, to have a set timetable as to when St. Louis can expect their veteran catcher back in the fold.

“Now that we have a plan together and understand what the timeline looks like, I’m definitely excited to have him back,” Marmol said Tuesday prior to the Cardinals hosting the Dodgers. “He’s doing really well and he’s feeling a lot better. Mentally and physically, he’s looking to get back, so that’s positive.

Molina, who has announced that this will be his final MLB season, was hitting .213 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 136 at-bats over 40 games when he left the team.

Molina became MLB’s all-time leader in putouts by a catcher earlier this season against the Pirates. He currently has 14,876 putouts – 12 more than Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez.

Molina teamed with veteran pitcher Adam Wainwright to become the winningest starting battery in MLB history earlier this season when they notched their 203rd victory in their combined starts. Molina and Wainwright are tied for second in most career starts together with Warrant Spahn and Del Crandall with 316 starts. They are hopeful of passing Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan for most career starts by one battery at 324.

Molina missed the first week of Spring Training because of a personal matter, reported troubles with knee pain and general soreness throughout the early stages of Spring Training and the regular season and was put on a platoon plan with backup catcher Andrew Knizner.

St. Louis has gotten little production at all from its catching position this season as Molina (.213 batting average) and Knizner (.181 in 54 games) have struggled at the plate. The Cardinals briefly promoted their No. 3 prospect Ivan Herrera (.111 in 11 games) and signed veteran Austin Romine (.133 in five games), but the results have been spotty at best.