Freese, originally in lineup, scratched as precaution

SAN DIEGO -- David Freese participated fully in the Cardinals' pregame batting practice and infield fielding/throwing drills at Petco Park on Monday. However, for precautionary reasons, manager Mike Matheny pulled the third baseman out of the starting lineup due to some swelling on his right hand.

Freese suffered a gash near his right thumb on Sunday when he was spiked while chasing down and applying a tag on Milwaukee's Norichika Aoki in the first inning. Freese played the rest of the game but needed to receive three stitches to close the cut afterward.

On Monday, the area around the stitches was swollen. Freese wore a white gauze bandage while doing his pregame work.

"It's fine," Freese said. "Just a little swollen. But I can do everything."

Though Freese was in the first lineup the Cardinals posted in the clubhouse on Monday afternoon, Matheny later changed his mind and inserted Ty Wigginton to start at third base and bat seventh. Freese was deemed available off the bench, if needed.