Sore thumb an ongoing issue for Cardinals’ Peralta; Pham hitting his stride in center

Lingering discomfort in his left thumb landed St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Jhonny Peralta on the bench Monday for the opener of a four-game series against San Diego.

The pain is not related to the surgery in March that repaired a torn ligament in the thumb.

Peralta, who exited after five innings Sunday afternoon against Miami, homered Saturday but is batting a paltry .221 in 30 games since returning from the operation.

“Jhonny’s sore,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “We needed to get him out (Sunday). With some of the check swings or the swings and misses, something’s still kind of grabbing there. He had it looked at (Monday) and the doctors can see it’s still flared up a bit.

“We’re just trying to get ahead of that and figure out what we’ve got to do.”

Peralta had a similar problem with the thumb in the first week of July.

“It just kind of keeps showing up,” Matheny said. “We try to get a couple of steps ahead and then something will happen. It’s a violent movement, especially when you start talking about your hands when you’re going through the swing mechanics.”

Matheny wouldn’t speculate on how long the injury will prevent Peralta from playing.

Pham loves center

Finally healthy, confident outfielder Tommy Pham is enjoying his extended audition in center field that, for the time being, has shifted Randal Grichuk to left field.

“Right now, when you’re in my situation, man, you just have to play,” the poker-faced Pham said. “I’m just happy to get my name in the lineup. You know what I’m saying?”

Matheny said Grichuk “has been feeling a little bit off as far as his running goes” because of a “knee that tightened up a little bit.”

Pham, batting .258 after an 0-for-4 game in a 10-2 win over San Diego on Monday, believes center field comes easier than left, which generally is regarded as the simplest position in the outfield.

“Out of the three positions, left field is, I think, the hardest to play. I don’t know what reason (there is for that),” Pham said. “I just feel like left field is the hardest to play. I came up in the minors as a center fielder. But in the big leagues, you have to be able to play all three.”

Pham is playing because of his defense and a recently hot bat. In his last five games prior to Monday, all starts, Pham was hitting .350 (7-for-20) with two doubles, three home runs and five RBIs.

“It means a lot, just the opportunity. It’s a blessing,” Pham said. “At the same time, you have to produce to play. I have the mentality of just going out there and surviving, so to say.

“I believe (I can play). I’m just trying to make everyone else believe it.”

Pham doesn’t expect to be reprimanded for critical remarks he made Sunday about the strike zone of plate umpire Marvin Hudson, specifically that it was “horrible” and “generous.”

“We have video evidence,” Pham said. “That’s the good thing about technology. ... I have that as my evidence.”

Rosenthal’s role

Ineffectiveness has left former closer Trevor Rosenthal without a role.

Rosenthal, whose ERA has swollen to 5.64, has a 10.80 ERA in July and has been scored upon in three of his last five outings.

“We’ve got to find a different spot for him right now,” Matheny said. “It’s probably not going to be like it has been. ... I don’t see him in a higher-leverage situation right now.”

The Cardinals, who previously optioned Grichuk and Kolten Wong to Class AAA Memphis, wouldn’t likely hesitate to do the same to the 26-year-old Rosenthal if they deem it a necessity. But thus far, they have not exercised that option despite Rosenthal’s struggles.

Rosenthal re-established himself a bit Monday with a scoreless ninth that included two strikeouts.

This story was originally published July 18, 2016 at 5:49 PM with the headline "Sore thumb an ongoing issue for Cardinals’ Peralta; Pham hitting his stride in center."