What happened to Nolan Arenado? Cardinals superstar exits game against Astros early

St. Louis Cardinals fans are holding their breath after Nolan Arenado was removed from the game against the Houston Astros with a back injury.

Back injuries can have wide-ranging impacts on a player's game, and needs to be handled very carefully. Hopefully, his removal from the game was a precaution, but it is too early to say.

Arenado has been one of the top stars of the Cardinals since he joined the team in 2021. He was on pace to be an All-Star once again this season, despite his team's disappointing campaign so far. Now, this injury could throw those plans into jeopardy, and derail the Cardinals' season even more than it has been already.

The Cardinals announced his removal from the game on Twitter.

"Nolan Arenado was removed from tonight's game due to lower back tightness. His status is day-to-day" - St. Louis Cardinals

The team listing him as day-to-day means they are hopeful he can avoid a stint on the Injured List, which is an excellent sign. With how terrible their start to the season was, they cannot afford to slump if they still hope to make the playoffs.

They will need Arenado at his best for the rest of the season to end up where they want to.

What happens if Nolan Arenado is out longer than expected?

St Louis Cardinals v Arizona Diamondbacks

While the Cardinals said his injury was day-to-day nearly immediately, that can change in a hurry when it comes to back injuries. Carlos Rodon and the New York Yankees can attest to that. If Arenado does miss a significant amount of time, even if it's just a couple of weeks, the Cardinals' season could be down the tubes.

Even earlier in the game, Arenado showed his value to the team, tying up the game with a home run blast.

"Nolan Arenado THREE RUN JACK TO TIE IT UP" - Barstool Baseball

Without their best infielder on the field for the rest of the season, it is hard to see the Cardinals being anything but one of the worst teams in the MLB.