PHOENIX -- Caution, mixed with a little bit of relief, is the Cardinals take on catcher Yadier Molina, who was removed from Thursday night's game against the Diamondbacks after being hit on the left hand by a pitch.

Molina was diagnosed with a "very small" fracture in his hand, but the injury is not expected to send him to the disabled list. The Cards likely will recall an additional catcher from Triple-A Memphis to provide insurance during their weekend series against the Giants in San Francisco.

"He's got a very small non-displaced fracture in the fifth metacarpal of his left hand," said head athletic trainer Barry Weinberg. "We'll check him tomorrow for pain and swelling, and we'll treat it just like a bruise. Knowing Yadi, it's going to be a very, very short time."

Molina led off the eighth inning against Arizona starter Claudio Vargas, and on a 2-1 count he was drilled in the padding of his bottom hand. Molina immediately fell to the ground and was quickly removed for pinch-runner Hector Luna. Einar Diaz took over as the catcher in the bottom of the eighth. Diaz is the only other catcher on the St. Louis roster.

"It sounds bad, and it feels bad, but it's like a bruise," said Molina. "I think a couple of days, I'll be ready. But right now I feel a good little bit of pain. I was afraid I broke my hand, but I did my X-rays so I feel much better about it now."

In his first full season in the big leagues, Molina has been everything the Cardinals hoped he would be. His overall batting numbers (.257 average, .291 on-base, .368 slugging entering Thursday) are not exceptional, but he has hit well after a slow start. Defensively he's been outstanding, throwing out more than half of would-be base stealers and picking off seven runners.

He has carried one of the heaviest workloads of any catcher in baseball, and to lose Molina for any length of time would be a significant blow to the Cardinals.

"He'll probably be doubtful for the weekend, but right now the indication is that it's not disabling," said manager Tony La Russa.

The Cardinals have two catchers on the 40-man roster at Memphis: Cody McKay and Mike Mahoney. Mahoney came up briefly earlier this year when Molina was sidelined with a sprained ankle. McKay was the backup catcher for the first half of the 2004 season. One or the other is likely to join the team in San Francisco, but the club was playing its hand quietly on Thursday.

"We'll see," said general manager Walt Jocketty. "Most likely, but we'll make that decision tomorrow."

Said La Russa: "I would think it's something we're going to seriously consider."