Cardinals’ Zack Thompson Sidelined by Lat Injury

St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Zack Thompson has suffered a tear in his left lat muscle, a significant blow revealed by president of baseball operations John Mozeliak during a discussion with reporters, including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Thompson will be shut down from all baseball activities and is scheduled for a re-evaluation in three to four weeks, making it certain that he will begin the 2025 season on the injured list. This injury stalls his momentum as he vies for a consistent role in the Cardinals’ pitching staff.
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The setback is particularly frustrating for Thompson, a 2019 first-round pick (19th overall), who has been working to carve out a permanent spot in the majors. Over the past three seasons, he has logged 118 MLB innings, with a peak of 66 1/3 innings in 2023, transitioning between relief duties and starting assignments in the final six weeks of that year. As he competed for a bullpen role this spring, this injury disrupts his progress and adds uncertainty to his development trajectory with St. Louis.