What It Means:

Molina has missed the last two weeks after being diagnosed with a sprained left thumb. He's still not 100 percent, but the Cardinals will make a custom splint for him to wear so that he can hit and catch. The club has indicated hitting will likely be the bigger issue for Molina, but they'll be happy to have his elite defense even if he can't offer much at the plate. St. Louis hosts the winner of the National League Wild Card game in Game 1 of the NLDS on Friday.

Molina has really not had a good second half. He holds a .253/.296/.346 slash since the All-Star break and a 23.2 hard-hit rate. His defense has still been above average with four Defensive Runs Saved, but the offense -- plus the thumb ailment -- leaves reason for concern heading into the postseason.