Fowler, Siegrist are making progress | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday … – STLtoday.com

The good news for the Cardinals on Friday was that Kevin Siegrist and Dexter Fowler are both on track to make the 10-day disabled list an accurate depiction of how long they will be out. The question it creates is what happens when the time comes for Fowler to return.

John Mozeliak, now carrying the title of president of baseball operations, said that Siegrist (cervical spine strain) and Fowler (right heel spur) had both received anti-inflammatory injections before the teams trip to Arizona, and both were progressing. I think we have some optimism on this being the 10 days, he said.

But in Fowlers absence, Tommy Pham has sparkled in center, with his bat, arm and glove, raising the issue of what to do when Fowler returns. Right now, Mozeliak said, they havent considered those options, but they will.

Any time you sign a free agent of his magnitude and you bring him to do a job, its very delicate to start talking about moving him off, Mozeliak said. Clearly you want to do whats best for the team and finding ways to win and theres no doubt when you look at the last few days with Tommy Pham, hes made some excellent catches and had a positive impact on the team. So we have some time to decide what that next step looks like. Im sure all of us on the decision team will have a talk, but we havent done that yet.

Siegrist is expected to begin baseball-related activities this weekend and is eligible to come off the DL on Monday. Fowler cant do that as easily since his injury is to his heel and the team wants to keep him off that as much as possible so it can heal. Hes working out, Mozeliak said, but not necessarily baseball-related.

Fowler is eligible to come off the DL on Wednesday.

Second baseman Kolten Wong (right tricep strain) also had an anti-inflammatory shot Tuesday, which Mozeliak said had a positive effect but slowed down his return. Wong, out since June 15, is not expected back until after the All-Star break, which would be July 14 at the earliest.

Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter was taking grounders and turning double plays at second base during pregame warmups, a precursor to possibly returning, on occasion, to that position.

The Cardinals have an abundance of outfielders, plus a first baseman in Luke Voit, and the easiest way to get an extra one into the lineup would be to put one of them in first and find another place for the versatile Carpenter.

We see the same at-bats you guys see too, manager Mike Matheny said before the game, and watching Jose Martinez, watching Luke Voit, how do we keep them engaged, and is there flexibility? Jose has been one of those that has given us options in the outfield, but when you have a (Randal) Grichuk going like he is and (Stephen) Piscotty and Pham, then Dexter gets mixed back in, its going to be tough to figure out how that fits, so first base is an option. Thats really the only position that Luke Voit plays. If were faced with a tough lefty, thats something were going to at least make sure we have covered. Carp has been taking ground balls all season, all over the place. It was just a little more concentrated work at second today that might give him a little bit more opportunity.

Speaking of tough lefties, Gio Gonzalez, with a 2.87 ERA, is scheduled to start for the Nationals on Saturday.

Carpenter mostly played second in 2013, his breakout season, before moving to third base and, this season, almost exclusively, to first.

The move also works because Wong is out, leading to a variety of players filling in that spot.

We just have to think were at that point with our club to keep our eyes open, keep our options open, Matheny said, and if something looks like it may work, not be afraid to think outside the box.

Two days after former Cardinal Jhonny Peralta was signed to a minor-league contract by the Red Sox and was assigned to the teams Class AAA affiliate in Pawtucket, the Red Sox released another former Cardinal, Allen Craig. Craig, traded to the Red Sox along with Joe Kelly for John Lackey in 2014, was hitting .253 with one home run in 47 games for Pawtucket. (His slugging percentage was .316.) Craig, who hasnt played in the majors since 2015, is in the final year of a five-year contract he signed with the Cardinals in 2013 that pays him $11 million this season, and has a $13 million option for 2018 with a $1 million buyout. The Nationals put shortstop Trea Turner, the major-league leader in stolen bases with 35, on the 10-day disabled list with a fracture in his right wrist and called up infielder Adrian Sanchez.

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Fowler, Siegrist are making progress | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday ... - STLtoday.com