ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals aren’t switching up their rotation too much yet as they look ahead to a 16-game stretch in 17 days that takes them through Aug. 28.

Jack Flaherty will start Tuesday against the Royals and Dakota Hudson will start Wednesday in the Cardinals’ two-game Interleague series in Kansas City, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said Sunday before St. Louis’ 11-9 comeback win over Pittsburgh.

Flaherty (5-6, 3.72 ERA) will pitch on six days’ rest and has been dominant lately, with a 1.67 ERA in his last seven starts (43 innings). Hudson (10-6, 4.01) threw just 49 pitches in his four innings against the Pirates on Friday, and he’ll be back pitching on five days’ rest.

“It’s not in a silo, but you start to map it out as the season goes, [the] timeframe gets a little shorter,” Shildt said. “It’s just the best way we looked to manage it.”

There is still a question of the fifth starter spot, and the Cardinals have delayed answering it by using a four-man rotation given their off-days. But with the 16-game stretch beginning Tuesday, the fifth starter spot will come up next weekend during a four-game set in Cincinnati. Shildt said that spot will likely go to Michael Wacha, who gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Dodgers on Aug. 5 and prompted the Cardinals to give Sunday’s start against the Pirates to Miles Mikolas.

“I imagine Michael will take that start [against the Reds], but we’ll look at all the possibilities,” Shildt said.

Rehab roundup

• The Cardinals are still eyeing Tuesday against the Royals for Yadier Molina’s return after the catcher plays his final game with Double-A Springfield on Sunday and has the day off Monday. Molina has been on the injured list with a right thumb tendon strain since July 8.

• Left fielder Tyler O'Neill (left wrist strain) was hoping to start a rehab assignment before the 10 days were up on his injured list stint, but that seems unlikely now, Shildt said. Still, O’Neill is making progress in his treatment after getting an injection Saturday that will take 48-72 hours to start making his wrist feel better. There’s no set timetable for O’Neill’s return.

“He’s itching to get back,” Shildt said. “We’re going to be on the outside of the 10 days it looks like, but he’s definitely getting closer and chomping at the bit.”

Minor League report

• Harrison Bader, who was sent to Triple-A Memphis on July 29, homered twice and was on base five times in the Redbirds’ 12-3 win over Fresno (Nationals) on Saturday night. His first was a three-run shot in the fifth, and his second was a two-run home run in the sixth. He was hit by a pitch twice, walked and stole a base.

Bader is 11-for-40 in 10 games since his demotion, with four walks and 11 strikeouts. Shildt said Saturday that he looks for consistent at-bats when evaluating Bader and contemplating the center fielder’s return to the Majors.

“Being able to understand, which I think Harrison does, he understands how he’s going to be pitched,” Shildt said. “Having the ability to make the adjustments he needs to make, not only with the pitcher but also situationally. Runner on third, less than two outs, got to get guys over. Being able to have different tools in the toolbox that helps him compete based on situation. Be able to use the bunt game a little bit more, bunt for a hit, push bunt, use [his] speed and overall skill set.”

• Right-hander Daniel Ponce de Leon also has impressed lately for the Redbirds. On Friday, Ponce de Leon threw 94 pitches over seven scoreless innings, striking out 11 with no walks. The key to Ponce de Leon’s return to the Cardinals is also consistency, Shildt said Saturday. The Cardinals need to see Ponce de Leon string together similar effective starts.

“Pretty consistently, we need to know what we’re going to get out of you from start to start, from relief appearance to relief appearance or at-bat to at-bat,” Shildt said. “If we get your ‘better,’ we know the skill set and we know what we can expect. That’s the case in point as we speak to Ponce de Leon.”