Cardinals: Catcher Willson Contreras out for three weeks

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras is on the injured list for the second time this season after breaking a finger on a pitch last week. He will be out three weeks, manager Oliver Marmol said Monday night.

However, the veteran will not require surgery, Marmol said in his press conference after the Cardinals' 4-7 loss to the San Diego Padres, and the club remains hopeful that he will be able to return before the end of the season.

Ivan Herrera started for the Cardinals on Monday and finished 1-3 with a walk. St. Louis also has Pedro Pages on the active roster.

In a 6-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, Contreras was on first in the fourth inning when pitcher Pablo Lopez came at him. Contreras couldn't get out of the way as the ball hit his right hand.

He was the Cardinals' designated hitter, so he stayed in the game to run the bases and see if the pain and swelling would subside. However, he was replaced by pinch-hitter Matt Carpenter in the sixth inning.

“We suffered a setback today,” Marmol said at the time. “It's been a rough year. He's been beaten pretty hard. He's battled through a lot. He's played with some pain.”

Contreras is playing his second season with the Cardinals after spending the first seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs. He missed six weeks earlier this season after breaking his left forearm in a May 7 game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.