St. Louis, Missouri — During the afternoon practice session before the rematch with the Milwaukee Brewers, Nolan Gorman – the top-performing ace – suddenly stopped practicing mid-session. Cameras captured the moment he bent over, holding his lower back, then left the field in silence.
Just a few minutes later, the Cardinals announced briefly:
“Nolan Gorman will be out temporarily due to a back strain. The situation will be closely monitored.”
But the truth behind is just the tip of the iceberg.
Gorman’s back injury isn’t new. He suffered a similar injury in 2023, which caused him to miss nearly a month of action. It was thought that the pain was in the past… but now, it’s back just as his career is taking off.
“Nolan is a warrior. But today, for the first time, I saw him shaking,” a member of the coaching staff shared. “Not because of pain. Because of fear. Fear of not being back soon.”
Gorman didn’t sleep all night. According to a close friend, he stayed in the recovery room until 2 a.m., watching videos of his home runs earlier in the season, then writing something in a notebook — something he only opened when his emotions got out of control.
We have the content of the letter – which has never been made public:
“If you can’t play because of pain, please don’t remember me as a broken man. Remember that I gave everything for this jersey. And when the sun comes up, I will return, not for the title – but because my heart has never given up on the Cardinals.”
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Fans fuel the fire: ‘We’re waiting for you, No. 16!’
Since the news broke, thousands of Cardinals fans have sent messages of encouragement via social media. In the stands today, people began to unfurl handwritten banners:
“Take your time, Gorman. We’ll wait with open hearts.”
“Pain will pass. Your fire won’t.”
Many consider Gorman the “red heart” of the team – the one who not only brings points but also faith.
Inside sources reveal that Gorman has a deeper reason for returning early: his father, Rick Gorman, recently underwent heart surgery in Arizona. Nolan promised to give him a homerun bat in the Cardinals vs. Braves game in early August.
“I want to stand at home plate, look up at the bleachers, where you’re sitting. And I’ll hit it for you.”
Gorman may miss a few games. But if you ask St. Louis fans what they want to see most right now, it’s not a win. It’s the sight of Nolan Gorman, with the number 16 on his back, back on the field — not just to play, but to fulfill a promise to his father, to himself, and to the thousands of red-hot hearts at Busch Stadium.