PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Trevor Rosenthal will have to wait a while longer to make a spring start, as he has been scratched as Monday's probable pitcher after alerting the medical staff to tightness around his right latissimus dorsi (lat) muscle.
Rosenthal said he felt some soreness in that area on Friday, when he pitched an inning against the Nationals. That outing was to be a tuneup for Monday's start, which would have been Rosenthal's first at any level and in any setting since 2012. Instead, the former Cardinals closer is now sidelined until he can pass the necessary medical tests.
"He's going to need a couple days," manager Mike Matheny said.
While the Cardinals don't appear overly concerned that this will set Rosenthal back for long, it could foil their plans to get him starts in spring. Rosenthal was ready to take Carlos Martinez's starting spot during Martinez's World Baseball Classic absence. Now, John Gant slides into the starting mix, at least for one turn through the rotation.
If Rosenthal has too long a layoff, he may not be ready to throw multiple innings immediately upon returning. The Cardinals' plan for Rosenthal this spring was to build up his arm strength so that he could be considered for multiple roles, depending on need.