Cards don't expect Grichuk to miss much time
ST. LOUIS -- Though Randal Grichuk was out of the Cardinals' lineup on Monday, the club does not anticipate the outfielder missing much time due to a right groin injury that knocked him out of Sunday's game.
Grichuk underwent an MRI scan on Monday to help determine the severity of the injury. Manager Mike Matheny said "everything came back good" from the exam, though Grichuk said another doctor was scheduled to read the MRI and confer with him later in the afternoon.
Grichuk said that he had been seeking treatment for groin tightness for about two weeks, but that he felt it pull more than usual while running out a ground ball on Sunday. He played another half-inning in the field before being shut down.
"It just kind of starting getting tight, and a little bit slower and slower and tighter, and then yesterday," Grichuk said. "But I'm feeling better today."
Matheny expected Grichuk to be available off the bench on Monday, though he acknowledged that a few days off might be beneficial. Starting in Grichuk's place in center field was Peter Bourjos.
The Cardinals' starting lineup Monday also was absent Matt Holliday and Mark Reynolds, both of whom are dealing with their own physical issues. Reynolds' left hand remains bruised where he was hit by a fastball on Saturday. Reynolds said that if he were to be used as a pinch-hitter on Monday, he would have to hold his bottom hand off the end of the bat because of the discomfort he feels when it rubs against the knob.
Matheny continues to schedule periodic days off for Holliday, who is not 100-percent fully recovered from a right quad strain he suffered in June. Holliday has been running cautiously since returning from the disabled list on July 17.
Worth noting
• Right-hander Jordan Walden (right biceps inflammation) threw a scoreless inning Sunday in his second rehab appearance with Double-A Springfield. Walden was back at Busch Stadium on Monday to meet with the Cardinals' medical staff.
• The Cardinals activated right-hander Mitch Harris (right groin strain) from the 15-day disabled list and optioned the reliever to Triple-A. Harris made four rehab appearances with Memphis while recovering from the injury.
• Lefty Tim Cooney, who was demoted to Triple-A after earning his first Major League win on Friday, has been placed on the Triple-A disabled list due to appendicitis.
• The Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum announced a new membership program on Monday. Both individual ($50) and family ($85) memberships are available and include unlimited museum admission, bobbleheads, guest passes, access to member-only events/ticket discounts, discounts at the Cardinals Authentics Shop and Cardinals Nation Restaurant, and free admission to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Memberships can be purchased online at cardinals.com/museum.