ATLANTA — The Cardinals will be getting their starting second baseman back for the NLDS against the Braves.
Kolten Wong is, in his words, "Ready to go".
Manager Mike Shildt succinctly confirmed the news during his press conference on Wednesday.
"Kolten will be in the lineup tomorrow," Shildt said.
Wong had been recovering from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him for the past two weeks.
The 28-year-old Hawaii native was finishing up a career best year before falling victim to injury. He had a regular season slash line of .285/.361/.423 with 11 home runs and 24 stolen bases while also playing his usual Gold Glove caliber defense.
Wong's starting pitcher for Game 1 is perhaps the happiest about the news that his slick-fielding second baseman will be backing him up against the Braves.
"Any time you've got a guy with gold glove caliber defense chomping at the bit to get in there it makes you exciting," Miles Mikolas said. "Gold Glove to be at second base, a whole bunch of Gold Gloves at first, I mean our whole right side of the infield is locked down pretty solid.... We have great defense all around and Wong just adds to that overall confidence."
Always itching for competition, Wong is one of the few Cardinals still on the team from the 2015 NLDS loss to the Cubs.
He talked about appreciating returning to the postseason during the Cardinals' NL Central championship celebration this past weekend.
"When I first got up (to the big leagues) I kind of expected it," Wong said. "Now that it's been four years of not being in the playoffs you appreciate it so much more because you understand that this doesn't happen all the time."
Wong and the Cardinals will take on the Braves in Game 1 on Thursday night, at 5:02 ET from Atlanta.