Lance Berkman sidelined by second injury of the spring - MLB

When the Cardinals signed Lance Berkman to an $8 million deal this offseason guys like me wondered about the wisdom of asking a 35-year-old who’s not in particularly outstanding shape and hasn’t played the outfield since 2007 to be an everyday right fielder.

Sub par defense is all but assured, as Berkman was hardly a strong defender when he played the outfield regularly five years ago, but another issue is that the increased ground to cover and throws to make figure to present an increased injury risk after three years as a first baseman/designated hitter.

Berkman’s elbow started barking almost immediately, so the Cardinals limited him to designated hitter duties early in camp, but now he’s been scratched from the lineup altogether because of a sore calf muscle.

Berkman told Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch that he’s “perfectly fine” and would have played if it weren’t early in spring training, but once the season starts the DH option will go away while the aches and pains probably won’t.

CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”