Cardinals taking time with rotation situation

ST. LOUIS -- With three off-days in the next two weeks, the Cardinals are taking their time to weigh the options for the open spot in the rotation.

For the time being, Joe Kelly is being prepped as a fill-in starter and could also be a potential long-term solution.

"We've made known to Joe that he's going to have to stay flexible," manager Mike Matheny said. "He's right where he needs to be, and we'll just kind of read how the other guys go, what kind of laboring they're doing with their starts. If you've got time, you might as well use it to your advantage."

Matheny said it's possible the team will go with a four-man rotation for the entirety of its eight-game road trip, but that would eliminate any opportunities to give a pitcher an extra day of rest.

"I know this is going to be the same conversation and probably the same answer we're going to have here for a few days," Matheny said. "It's just, there's no sense in setting our feet in stone in something when we've got more things that we can learn to let us know what the right decision is."