St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado appears to be closing in on a return , with signs pointing toward a rehab assignment starting early next week. After spending time in Florida rehabbing a persistent right shoulder strain, the All-Star has rejoined the team and is expected to report to Double-A Springfield on Tuesday or Wednesday, provided the weekend goes smoothly.

Since Arenado was placed on the injured list shortly after the trade deadline, the team has felt his absence on both offense and defense. While no specific return date was initially given, manager Oliver Marmol’s comments suggest Arenado could return soon during the Cardinals’ upcoming homestand. Arenado has not seen action since August, but this latest development signals the club’s hope to have him back for

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