Albert Almora Jr. suffers bruised shoulder hitting wall in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS — Center fielder Albert Almora Jr. bruised his right shoulder on a crash into the wall in the fifth inning Tuesday, leaving the game and putting his immediate playing status in doubt.

X-rays were negative, and Almora – still significantly sore after the 8-7 loss to the Cardinals – said he plans to go through a normal pregame schedule Wednesday.

“If it’s sore, then I’ll see what they want to do,” he said. “I can fight through it, or if they want to give it one more day. …”

Almora said he was in “excruciating” pain after chasing Paul DeJong’s roller through the gap onto the warning track, then looking up and going face-first into the wall.

“I tried to cut it off before it hit the wall, and when I went to slide I noticed I wasn’t going to get to it, and when I looked up the wall was right on me,” Almora said.

“I was scared,” he said. “Luckily, nothing’s broken, nothing’s damaged.”

Almora, who might be best known for a heads-up base running play in Game 7 of last fall’s World Series, entered the game in the top of the fifth as a pinch-hitter for Kyle Schwarber.

He’s hitting .295 this season with seven home runs.

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Email: gwittenmyer@suntimes.com