MILWAUKEE _ At the start of what could be a series of moves this weekend to fortify the bullpen for a four-game series against the second-place Brewers, the Cardinals placed Michael Wacha on the disabled list and brought back John Gant from Class AAA Memphis.
Who will start Monday will depend who is needed in the next four days.
Wacha had the early diagnosis of a left oblique strain confirmed Thursday after an MRI taken in Milwaukee that day. The severity of Wacha's muscle tear along his ribcage was not revealed in the team's transaction. The Cardinals are expected to detail the injury and the possibly length of Wacha's absence once the team arrives at Miller Park.
The Cardinals open a four-game series there at 7 p.m. St. Louis time.
Gant, 25, was set to start Thursday evening for Memphis. Instead, he'll serve as a possible long reliever for the weekend series. If needed, he'll buttress a bullpen that has had a series of games without limited availability due to leftover innings from the starters.
If Gant is not used over the weekend, he would be considered for the open start Monday. Other options include Daniel Poncedeleon, who is on the 40-man roster, and Class AAA standout Dakota Hudson, who could easily be added.
Gant is 5-1 with a 1.65 ERA in his previous eight games for Memphis.
Overall this season, he has 15 appearances, including three starts at the major-league level. In 24 2/3 innings for the Cardinals, the righthander has a 4.74 ERA and 26 strikeouts.
