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It didn鈥檛 take long for the 25-year-old Herrera to pick up from where he left off before a left hamstring strain sidelined him on June 20.

Placed in the designated hitter spot and slotted in the No. 2 spot of manager Oliver Marmol鈥檚 lineup, Herrera announced his return with a line drive single in the first inning against the Braves that had a 105.1 mph exit velocity. He swiped his second stolen base of the season later that inning and added his third stolen base in the third inning following a walk.

鈥淗e鈥檚 feeling really good,鈥� Marmol said of Herrera before his club played its final game before the All-Star break. 鈥淚t was a matter of his lower half being in a good spot. He was able to test it out a ton before even playing games. The games were more for timing with the bat than anything.鈥�

After he missed most of April with inflammation in his left knee stemming from a bone bruise sustained while running the bases, Herrera steadily increased his physical activity in recent weeks before being cleared for a rehab assignment. He collected four hits in seven at-bats in games with Memphis on Thursday and Friday while also reporting good health in his left hamstring as he returned to game action.

Herrera鈥檚 activation on the final day before the break allows for ample rest following his first game back. It also returns the Cardinals, who combined for a .233 batting average and a .666 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) in 13 games before Sunday, one of their more productive bats.

Through 42 games before his second IL stint of the year, Herrera posted a .320 batting average, a .392 on-base percentage and slugged .533. He鈥檚 connected on eight doubles, eight homers and driven in 36 RBIs when healthy this season.

Herrera, the Cardinals鈥� opening day starting catcher, is expected to receive ample playing time as a designated hitter for the remainder of the season.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad we were able to stay afloat while he (Herrera) was gone because that鈥檚 a big bat that鈥檚 not just splitty in the sense he kills lefties,鈥� Marmol said. 鈥淭he guy does really nice job against both righties and lefties. He鈥檚 a meaningful part of the lineup, and it鈥檚 good to have him.鈥�

To clear a spot on the 26-man roster for Herrera, outfielder Lars Nootbaar was placed on the 10-day IL with a left costochondral sprain. Nootbaar鈥檚 sprain is where a rib meets its cartilage.

Nootbaar had been managing the injury in recent weeks and felt it reaggravated on check swings. The discomfort in his left side forced him to exit games early Thursday and Saturday.

His IL stint will carry into the second half of the season.

鈥淚 just don鈥檛 want it to linger,鈥� Marmol said of Nootbaar鈥檚 injury before it was announced he was heading to the IL. 鈥淚 want to get on the other side of it, where he鈥檚 not worried about check swings or something like that.鈥�

Fedde felt improved in start

Remaining in the rotation amid a scuffling stretch of starts, starter Erick Fedde said his Saturday outing vs. the Braves provided him with 鈥渁 step forward鈥� after giving up 17 runs on 20 hits and nine walks in his three outings prior.

Fedde allowed three runs on six hits and issued one walk over 4 2/3 innings in a 7-6 loss to Atlanta. Fedde allowed three runs in his first two innings, which included two solo homers, but kept Atlanta to two hits and a walk through the final 2 2/3 innings of his start.

In between Saturday鈥檚 start and his July 6 outing vs. the Cubs where he gave up three runs in 1 1/3 innings, Fedde said he made adjustment with the 鈥渇ront side鈥� in order to gain better control of his pitches and regain movement.

鈥淥bviously, it could have gone a little better,鈥� Fedde said on Saturday of his start. 鈥淕iving up the runs early is never good. Obviously, everyone knows the way things have been going. Today, I felt much more in control of my stuff and the zone.鈥�

Extra bases

As he goes through a change with his swing during his rehab assignment, Jordan Walker homered once in four at-bats on Saturday while playing for Class AA Springfield (Missouri). The homer was the second from Walker (appendicitis) in his most recent three games of his rehab assignment.

• Top Cardinals prospect JJ Wetherholt had one hit in four at-bats while hitting from the leadoff spot for the National League during Saturday鈥檚 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park in Atlanta. Wetherholt, who also played second base in the showcase, hit a double off the base of the wall in center field to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
• Pitching prospect Tink Hence was placed on Class AA Springfield鈥檚 seven-day injured list on Saturday, marking his second IL stint this season. An injury designation was not provided when the move was made. Hence, 22, logged 10 2/3 innings and allowed five runs in three start for Springfield following his activation from the IL in late June after beginning the year with a right rib cage strain. Hence is on the Cardinals鈥� 40-man roster.