Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina underwent emergency surgery Saturday evening after being hit in his groin area by a foul ball in that afternoon's game at Busch Stadium, according to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.
Molina will be sidelined for at least a month, Mozeliak confirmed to the Post-Dispatch on Sunday morning.
Molina sustained a traumatic hematoma that needed immediate medical attention.
Carson Kelly will be added to the active roster early Sunday morning, and Molina has been placed on the disabled list.
In the ninth inning of Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs, Kris Bryant nicked a 102-mph fastball from Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks that drilled Molina in his groin area. The Cardinals catcher doubled over, and it took several minutes for him to regain his breath. He was unable to walk at first.
"That was a bad one," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said after the game about Molina's injury. "And those ones don't necessarily feel better tomorrow. That was hard to see."
Cardinals left fielder Marcell Ozuna said: "One hundred and two (mph), fouled it off, just missed it, and hit him straight. That's bad."
Center fielder Tommy Pham (recurring groin pain) and closer Bud Norris (right triceps tightness) also were forced out of Saturday's game. Their injuries will be re-evaluated Sunday.
The Cardinals confirmed Saturday that reliever Dominic Leone (right biceps injury) was headed to the disabled list. Mike Mayers has been recalled from Class AAA Memphis to fill Leone's spot on the active roster.
