Westbrook makes rehab start for Double-A Springfield

ST. LOUIS -- Jake Westbrook took another step toward rejoining the Cardinals rotation.

Westbrook made his first rehab start Tuesday night as he recovers from right elbow inflammation. The 35-year-old right-hander threw 60 pitches over 3 2/3 innings with Double-A Springfield, allowing six hits and one earned run while striking out five. Forty-five of his 60 pitches were strikes.

"I felt pretty good," Westbrook said. "It was good to get up four times, get into the fourth inning. Threw a few long innings the first couple, but everything felt good, which was good.

"I was a little erratic with my pitches, but I guess that's understandable the first time out. It wasn't terrible by any means, but I was not as sharp as I would liked to have been."

Westbrook was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 12, and a setback extended his stay. He will throw another bullpen in a few days and intends to increase his pitch count to about 75-80 for another rehab start at Single-A Peoria on Sunday. After that start, he said he expects to be ready to return to the Cardinals.

"With the 60 [pitches] and hopefully 75-80 next start, then the next start could be 100, which is where they would want me to be," Westbrook said. "If I was able to throw 100 pitches, I would obviously feel like I could be capable of doing that in the big leagues."