Cards not too concerned by Lynn's tight forearm

DENVER -- The Cardinals are not overly concerned about the right forearm tightness that took Lance Lynn out of Sunday's start after five innings. Lynn threw 98 pitches, and it was the first game this year that he's left before recording 100 pitches.

"It's something we want to watch," manager Mike Matheny said before Monday's series opener in Colorado. "Every guy's sore the day after they throw 100 pitches. He's sore today, and we're going to keep an eye on it and figure out where to go from there. What they're seeing right now looks good structurally. We're just always concerned that something could flare up."

Lynn has averaged 105 1/2 pitches over the course of his first 12 starts, and he has only pitched under six innings three times, the other two in April, both five-inning affairs. He allowed two runs on six hits and a walk Sunday while striking out five, and he left the game down 2-0.

"When I went out to the mound, that was the conversation," Matheny said of Lynn. "He said, 'Hey, it's nothing new, this is what I deal with from time to time.' The [training staff] didn't seem that concerned."

With an off-day Thursday, Matheny plans to keep his pitching staff in order, meaning everyone will get an extra days' rest as summer heats up.

Matheny used five relievers to finish the game and earn the 4-2 win Sunday, but he was not concerned about a taxed bullpen heading into Coors Field, where the Cardinals have occasionally added a pitcher in preparation for the tax the Rockies and their hitter-friendly park can have on a pitching staff.

"We got guys pretty fresh," Matheny said. "Right now I'm pretty happy with the way guys are throwing the ball, if our starters keep giving us quality starts. This could be a spot where you always have that potential to run up some pitches on a couple pitchers. We have a few guys in Triple-A that could come up and help us out."

• On the day the June draft gave the Cardinals the opportunity to bolster their organizational depth, three Cardinals prospects were recognized for their chops in the Minors.

Video: STL@PIT: Lyons pitches into 6th, strikes out five

Memphis Redbirds starting pitcher Tyler Lyons was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 1-7. He pitched a complete game shutout Monday against Salt Lake and followed with six scoreless innings Saturday against Iowa, posting a 2-0 record with a 0.00 ERA and 13 strikeouts. The organization also cleaned up in the Texas League, where catcher Michael Ohlman (7-for-15, two home runs, eight RBIs and five runs) won Player of the Week and right-hander Thomas Lee (16 IP, 2 ER) earned Pitcher of the Week accolades -- his second such award of the season (also May 4-10).

• Matheny flew his son Tate out to Colorado to join the team for the three-game series in Colorado. Tate is a center fielder at Missouri State, and the junior anticipates being drafted early Tuesday, the second day of the Draft. "It's exciting," Matheny said of his son's second experience with the draft.

"We had a pretty good idea three years ago that he'd be taken, but probably not high enough to make it worth sacrificing his education. Now he's ready for pro ball. He's pretty excited. I don't know if anything will happen tonight. Most likely tomorrow morning. But it's fun to be part of the whole process and going through some conversations today and 'what ifs.' He's ready to go play and start his career."