St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley left in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s 8-7 win against the Pirates in Pittsburgh with a jammed right middle finger but said he should be ready for the start of the playoffs.
Helsley was injured after catching a line drive by Ji Hwan Bae and using his hands to brace himself while dodging a piece of a broken bat.
Speaking after the win, Helsley said he expects to be ready to pitch Friday, when St. Louis opens postseason play Friday by hosting a best-of-three National League wild-card series against the Phillies.
“I don’t think there was anything super wrong with it,” Helsley said. “Just give it some rest and let it resolve itself.”
Helsley, a right-hander, has 19 saves and a 1.25 ERA this season, with 94 strikeouts in 64.2 innings.