MILWAUKEE -- Though it didn't hinder him from setting up the Cardinals' game-winning rally in Monday's victory, right knee soreness may hinder Greg Garcia from being an option at shortstop for the next few games.
Garcia said the soreness first surfaced on Saturday when he legged out a first-inning double. Sunday's start at shortstop then only "made it worse," Garcia added.
The Cardinals, trying to get ahead of the injury, kept Garcia out of the starting lineup in Monday's series opener and sat him again on Tuesday. Garcia noted that the discomfort has been most bothersome in the field, particularly when he crouches to field ground balls. That's why when he remained in the game after his ninth-inning, pinch-hit at-bat on Monday, the Cardinals put him at second, not short.
"Shortstop, I feel like, is too much ground to cover," said Garcia, who had started 12 of the previous 16 games at shortstop. "It's too sore. I wouldn't be able to do a better job than Jedd [Gyorko]. That's how I see it."
He dealt with a similar knee issue late in Spring Training, though Garcia described this issue as "not as bad" as that one. For Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, the standout game that Kolten Wong had on Monday offered an easy opportunity on Tuesday to give Wong another start and buy another day of rest for Garcia.
"Greg does need to take care of that knee and help calm that down so that he can play at the level he needs to play," Matheny said.
Worth noting
• Without getting into specifics, Matheny noted that Aledmys Díaz (fractured right thumb) has one more test to pass before he can begin serving as a designated hitter as part of a rehab assignment. Diaz could begin taking batting practice as soon as Wednesday.
• Matt Adams went 0-for-3 with two walks in his latest Triple-A appearance on Monday. Adams is close to returning to the big-league roster after missing time due to right shoulder inflammation.