Marmol yanks center fielder Bader after sixth for lack of effort.
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Rick Hummel
Depending on his recovery after he pitches, the Cardinals’ Jack Flaherty may make only one more minor league start, of somewhere around 75 pitches, before he would be activated about 10 days from now.
Manager Oliver Marmol said Saturday that Flaherty, who allowed one hit and one run for 58 pitches over four innings on Friday, will make one more rehab start at Class AAA Memphis on Wednesday. After that, Flaherty could be in line to pitch at the beginning of a four-game series in Milwaukee.
“That is what the schedule says,” said Marmol, smiling.
“He’s going to get another rehab start (next) week,” said president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. “We’ll see how that goes and determine what the next step is after that. We haven’t ever really put a timetable on this. We don’t want to just put our needs ahead of what’s best for him.
“But, certainly, it is encouraging news for the Cardinals.”
Flaherty, who had three perfect innings in his first rehab start at Class AA Springfield, hasn’t pitched for the Cardinals all season because of shoulder bursitis. But his imminent return would give the Cardinals four veteran starters in Adam Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, Dakota Hudson and Flaherty, with the possibility of Andre Pallante as a fifth — at least until left-hander Steven Matz (left shoulder impingement) comes back, which does not seem as imminent.
“It’s not moving at the pace we had thought, that’s for sure,” said Mozeliak, who said the fact that Matz, who has three wins, still is feeling discomfort, precludes him advancing much farther than throwing on flat ground, with no hitters involved.
Lately, the Cardinals have resorted to games started by left-hander Packy Naughton and by right-hander Johan Oviedo, none the Cardinals won as neither pitcher was successful. Left-hander Matthew Liberatore also made three starts, with modest return, before going back to the minors.
