Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

We’re still nearly four hours from first pitch at Petco Park tonight and already it has been quite a busy news day for the Cardinals. It was determined this morning — after a visit to Dr. James Andrews — that Jaime Garcia will need to undergo shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum (story here). A few hours later, the Cardinals announced that shoulder inflammation forced Fernando Salas to the DL (story here). That opens up a space on the 25-man roster for tonight’s starter Tyler Lyons. Also, David Freese is out of the lineup for the third straight day.

Also of note: the Cardinals announced the formation of the Cardinals Care Oklahoma Recovery Fund, which has been established to assist with the needs of children affected by the tornadoes in Moore, Okla., on Monday. More on how you can donate money or supplies is in this story. And while on the topic of tornado recovery, I highly recommend that you take the time to read this story about how, on the two-year anniversary of the Joplin, Mo., tornado, the community is rebuilding with a hand from the Cardinals and the Royals. MLB.com associate reporter Chad Thornburg traveled to Joplin this week to meet with families who just recently moved into homes that the Cardinals and Royals helped build.  Their tales of moving forward are certainly inspiring.

As for tonight’s game, it will be a pair of rookies — Lyons (a product of Oklahoma State) and Burch Smith (a product of Oklahoma) — squaring off in the rubber match.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (3B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Jon Jay (CF)
7. Daniel Descalso (2B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Tyler Lyons (LHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Right-hander Fernando Salas has been placed on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, the Cardinals announced on Wednesday. The move frees up a necessary spot on the 25-man roster to add lefty Tyler Lyons, who will start for the Cardinals on Wednesday night.

Salas gave no indication that his shoulder was bothering him after pitching on Monday, though he did express some confusion after that outing as to why his pitches did not have their usual finish on them. Salas suffered a blown save in that appearance, as he allowed two inherited runners to score.

In 15 relief appearances this season, Salas has given up seven earned runs on 15 hits and three walks in 16 1/3 innings. Opponents have hit .242 off of him, and he’s allowed five of 13 inherited runners to score.

Despite Salas’ unavailability until at least June 5, the Cardinals still have a seven-man bullpen. Mitchell Boggs had given the club an extra reliever since being recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday.

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Left-hander Jaime Garcia is scheduled to undergo surgery on his left shoulder, a Cardinals official confirmed, after being diagnosed with a tear in his labrum. The decision to have a procedure was made after Garcia was seen by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., on Wednesday.

The Cardinals have not announced the date of Garcia’s surgery, but it will be performed by the team’s head physician, Dr. George Paletta. It is expected to sideline Garcia for the rest of the season.

Garcia went on the disabled list Sunday after alerting the Cardinals to an increasing amount of pain in his left shoulder over a three-start span. He described the pain as worse than what he dealt with last year, when Garcia had to twice be shut down due to a shoulder impingement. He missed two months in season and then later had to be taken off the postseason roster.

At the time of the second recurrence, Garcia visited several doctors for recommendations on how to address the injury – which was described as a tear to the rotator cuff and labrum. Though surgery was offered as a recommended option, Garcia eventually chose to undertake a program of rest and rehab. It was an alternative that, at the time, Dr. Andrews endorsed.

Garcia, 26, reported to Spring Training without restriction and made nine starts in the regular season. He went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA and twice allowed one run in an eight-inning outing.

The club will begin filling Garcia’s spot in the rotation with left-hander Tyler Lyons, who is scheduled to make his Major League debut on Wednesday in the Cardinals’ series finale against the Padres. With Jake Westbrook on the mend and Chris Carpenter on the comeback trail, the Cardinals should have some additional starting options available soon. John Gast is currently subbing into the rotation for Westbrook.

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

David Freese is out of the lineup for a second straight day, presumably still because of that cut he sustained when he was spiked by Norichika Aoki on Sunday. Freese told me yesterday that he felt fine hitting, fielding and throwing — but there was clearly some swelling around his right thumb. He was available off the bench last night but was not used.

Also, earlier today the Cubs claimed Minor League right-hander Eduardo Sanchez off waivers from the Cardinals. The organization needed to open a 40-man roster spot for Tyler Lyons (who will make his Major League debut on Wednesday) and in order to outright someone off that roster, the player had to first clear waivers. There is always the risk of losing that player when going through that process.

I have already had some readers email to ask why Sanchez instead of just moving to Jaime Garcia to the 60-day DL (which would take him off the 40-man roster)? Keep in mind that Garcia won’t be seeing Dr. James Andrews until Wednesday. There was no assurance that the Cardinals would know in time tomorrow exactly what the plan is for Garcia and whether he’s certain to miss at least 60 days.

Jake Westbrook just wrapped up throwing on flat ground for about 15 minutes. He did not throw off the mound as he said he had hoped to. That shouldn’t be considered a setback, however, as the fact that he threw at all today means that his elbow continues to respond well to the throwing program.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (3B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Jon Jay (CF)
7. Daniel Descalso (2B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Adam Wainwright (RHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

The list of frustrations that Kyle Lohse has with the Cardinals is apparently growing in length.

He was bothered last year by the club’s lack of interest in talking to him about possibly returning to the organization. Then, in his first two starts against his former team this season, the new Brewer found himself outdueled by rookie Shelby Miller – essentially the pitcher who took Lohse’s place in the rotation. On Sunday, he was defeated by another rookie, John Gast. That dropped Lohse to 1-5 on a season where he has lacked run support.

But there was something else that frustrated Lohse, too, on Sunday. He was seen exchanging words with Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo after giving up four runs in the fourth inning. He came to bat in the next half inning and was began talking to catcher Yadier Molina. Lohse was asked afterward what was bothering him.

“They know what I had to say,” Lohse said. “It had nothing to do with the squeeze or anything like that. It was something that happened after that.”

While no one would get into specifics on the record, Lohse seemed to take issue to Gast squaring to bunt and then pulling his bat back on the second pitch of his at-bat. Gast was hitting immediately after Pete Kozma, who had dropped down a squeeze bunt to drive in the fourth run of the frame.

Manager Mike Matheny, when asked about Lohse’s public display of displeasure, chose not to offer much.

“It’s just competition,” he said. “That’s all.”

In three starts against the Cardinals this season, Lohse has allowed 10 earned runs in 18 innings.

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Several news items to come out of the Cardinals’ clubhouse this morning. You can read more on each in the cardinals.com notebook this afternoon, but here is a quick rundown so that everyone is caught up in the meantime:

• Manager Mike Matheny announced that left-hander Tyler Lyons will join the team in San Diego and start in Jaime Garcia’s place on Wednesday. Though the Cardinals had some potential fill-in options already on the roster (Seth Maness, Joe Kelly, Carlos Martinez), the Cardinals did not feel that any of those three was built up enough to immediately step in and start. Wednesday would be Lyons’ next day to start, so the Cardinals liked the fit. Remember, too, that with Jake Westbrook on his way back and an off day on Thursday, the Cardinals have enough rotation flexibility that they may only need one start out of Lyons.
• Speaking of Westbrook, he did begin his throwing program today. Three days after receiving a cortisone injection to target a build-up of scar tissue around his right elbow, Westbrook made about 25 throws from a distance of 60 feet. He’s scheduled to do the same tomorrow.
• Mitchell Boggs has returned from Triple-A and has been added to the Cardinals’ 25-man roster. Garcia has officially been placed on the DL. Boggs was adamant that he is in a better place after a short demotion and said that today feels like the start of a new season for him.
• Chris Carpenter said that his arm responded well to his extended bullpen session on Saturday. That means he’ll continue to move forward with his program, which has him throwing a short side on Monday and four simulated innings on Thursday. The next step will be announced after Thursday’s throwing session.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Jon Jay (CF)
7. David Freese (3B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. John Gast (LHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

A left shoulder strain has landed left-hander Jaime Garcia on the disabled list and has the Cardinals concerned that surgery may be the necessary in order to correct a shoulder impingement that has been bothering Garcia for the past 12 months.

This same injury sidelined Garcia for a little more than two months last summer and then forced him off the playoff roster in October. At that time, Garcia considered addressing the issue with surgery before eventually deciding to try a rehab course instead.

He reported to Spring Training without limitation and made his first five starts of the season without any discomfort. Though he pitched eight strong innings in a May 5 win against the Brewers, it was that day, he said, that he first felt something wrong in his shoulder.

He made two more starts – including one last night in which he allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings – before it was determined that he could no longer pitch.

“I would say at this point it’s worse,” Garcia said, when asked how the discomfort compared to what he dealt with last year. “There’s a lot more pain than last year. It started three starts ago. I was feeling great up until that point. I basically tried to take care of doing little things here and there and it went downhill getting worse and worse.”

An MRI taken on Garcia’s shoulder on Saturday came back inconclusive. He is scheduled to visit with Dr. James Andrews next week for another opinion. Because Garcia already tried the rehab route for this injury, the only option this time may be undergoing a procedure.

“I’m very concerned, especially with the way I felt last night and the way I feel today,” Garcia said of that possibility.

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Matt Adams has dented the starting lineup for just the second time since coming off the disabled list May 7. He went 2-for-3 with a home run off Milwaukee’s Marco Estrada back in April. Carlos Beltran — 1-for-8 in his career against Estrada — gets the day off. This will be Estrada’s third start of the year against the Cardinals. He lasted only 3 1/3 innings on May 5.

Lance Lynn is coming off a career-high 124-pitch outing earlier in the week. Manager Mike Matheny said that will not hesitate to push Lynn again today, but as we saw with Shelby Miller and Adam Wainwright earlier this week, the leash could very well turn out to be shorter than usual.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Jon Jay (CF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (RF)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Matt Adams (1B)
7. David Freese (3B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Lance Lynn (RHP)

BREWERS LINEUP:

1. Norichika Aoki (RF)
2. Jean Segura (SS)
3. Ryan Braun (LF)
4. Aramis Ramirez (3B)
5. Jonathan Lucroy (C)
6. Carlos Gomez (CF)
7. Yuniesky Betancourt (1B)
8. Jeff Bianchi (2B)
9. Marco Estrada (RHP)

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

The Cardinals open a series tonight against the Brewers, whom they’ve beaten six times in seven tries already this season. Jaime Garcia made a start in each of those series, allowing a combined one run on 15 hits in 15 innings. He has a quality start in nine of his 11 career starts against Milwaukee.

Right-hander Jake Westbrook had hoped to resume throwing today, however recent tests on his elbow revealed that scar tissue was still an issue. As  a result, Westbrook received a shot in his arm yesterday to try and break up that scar tissue. That means he cannot resume throwing until at least Sunday. While he had hoped to miss only two starts, this small setback means it’s likely he’ll miss at least three.

More on his situation in today’s cardinals.com notebook.

Also, please give a welcome to associate reporter, Chad Thornburg, who will be assisting me with Cardinals coverage for the rest of the season. Chad recently graduated from the University of Illinois. You can follow him on Twitter: @cthornburg10, and you’ll see his byline on the site regularly this summer.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Jon Jay (CF)
7. David Freese (3B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Jaime Garcia (LHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

With a win on Thursday, the Cardinals would secure their second four-game sweep… in the month of May. The first, you might remember, came in Milwaukee to open the month. The Cardinals last swept the Mets in a series of more than four games in September 1982, when St. Louis won every game of a five-game series that included a pair of doubleheaders.

As expected, David Freese and Yadier Molina return to the lineup. With a left-hander (Jon Niese) on the mound, Jon Jay sits in favor of Shane Robinson. Also, Matt Holliday is out of the lineup today, which gives Ty Wigginton a chance to make a start.

The Cardinals enter the afternoon game with the Majors’ best record and having won 12 of their last 14 games. It’s worth noting that the best three records in the NL right now belong to teams in the NL Central: the Cardinals (26-13), Reds (24-16) and Pirates (23-17).

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Shane Robinson (CF)
3. Carlos Beltran (RF)
4. Allen Craig (LF)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Ty Wigginton (1B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Adam Wainwright (RHP)

METS LINEUP: TBA

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