Groin cramping delays J. Garcia's next start

ST. LOUIS -- Unable to throw his scheduled side session on Saturday due to continued cramping around his left groin, Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia will have his next start pushed back until at least Wednesday.

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Had all gone as planned on Saturday, Garcia would have pitched in the Cardinals' series opener against the White Sox on Tuesday. Now, the assignment will go to Lance Lynn, who will still be pitching on regular rest because of the off-day preceding the start of that two-game series.

Garcia exited his start on Wednesday after limping home as he rounded third base in the eighth inning. He later acknowledged that he did not alert the Cardinals' training staff despite pitching with a cramp for much of the game.

From here, the Cardinals plan to proceed on a day-by-day basis. If Garcia is cleared to throw off a mound on Sunday, he could be slotted in to start on Wednesday against the White Sox. The Cardinals could alternately have their other starters pitch on normal rest after Monday's off-day and give Garcia until next Saturday to return.

"A lot of it's going to be what the trainers see and feel with Jaime as they continue the treatment," manager Mike Matheny said. "We don't have to necessarily have a long-term plan, just enough to keep guys ready with their in-between-starts program."

Garcia, who has posted a 1.69 ERA over seven starts since coming off the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, declined to comment on the setback. He had acknowledged on Friday that he was still "a little sore."

Worth noting
• Outfielder Matt Holliday took batting practice with his teammates on Saturday for the first time since straining his right quad on June 9. Holliday is expected to resume running in the coming days and could be ready to come off the DL during the team's final road trip of the first half (July 6-12).

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• A day after taking a foot to his chin as he slid in safely with the game-winning run in Friday's 3-2, 10-inning victory over the Cubs, Peter Bourjos was plugged into the Cardinals' starting lineup for the first time since June 20. Bourjos passed a series of concussion tests after the collision.

• Though Greg Garcia has been promised the ball in exchange for an autograph, as of Saturday afternoon, he still didn't have possession of the ball he hit for his first Major League home run on Friday. He hopes to get it soon and then present it to his father.

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• First baseman Xavier Scruggs made his third start of the season for the Cardinals on Saturday, this time drawing the assignment against a pitcher he's faced several times in Triple-A. Matheny noted that Scruggs and Greg Garcia, both recent callups, helped provide a scouting report on Saturday's Cubs starter, Donn Roach.