Lance Berkman Injury Update: MRI Shows No ACL Tear

Despite initial reports, the St. Louis Cardinals are now saying that first baseman Lance Berkman did not sustain a torn ACL.  The Cardinals told reporters yesterday that an MRI only showed a torn meniscus in Berkman’s knee, not a torn ACL as early reports indicated.  If Berkman is dealing with a torn meniscus and not a tear to his ACL, he would miss six-to-eight weeks instead of the entire season.

Berkman and the Cardinals are receiving a second opinion to confirm the diagnosis, but a Monday MRI showed only a tear to the slugger’s meniscus.  While this could still cause Berkman to miss a significant portion of the season, the results were considered good news due to early reports of a torn ACL.

Following those initial reports, Berkman said that he would not only miss the remainder of the season but that he was considering retirement.  Now it appears that Berkman could be able to play for the Cardinals again this year.

Regardless of the outcome of the second MRI, Berkman’s best-case timeframe for return is six-to-eight weeks.  During Berkman’s time on the disabled list, the Cardinals will turn to 23-year-old Matt Adams to help fill the void at first base.

Joe Soriano examined Adams’s prospects when it was first rumored that he’d get the call.  Adams, who posted a line of .340/.375/.603 over his 141 at-bats in Triple-A this season before getting the call, will be used with Matt Carpenter to fill in for Berkman at first base.

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