ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals don't expect third baseman Jhonny Peralta to miss more than a few days with inflammation around his surgically repaired left thumb.
Peralta described his own status as day to day on Wednesday, one day after leaving early with discomfort in the thumb. He didn't take batting practice Wednesday and wasn't expected to be available for that night's game against the Pirates. 
"My thumb is better today," Peralta said. "I went to the training room and today I saw the doctor early in the morning. Everything is fine, but it was a little scary last night."
He was taken out of Tuesday night's game in the top of the fourth inning after he aggravated the thumb on a swing in the second inning. Peralta finished the at-bat with a strikeout and played the third inning at third base before he was removed from the game.
"In that situation, the pitcher threw a changeup and I saw the ball pretty good," Peralta said. "I tried to take a good swing and I swung a little harder than what I usually swing."
Peralta initially injured the thumb in Spring Training fielding a ground ball and had surgery to repair it soon after. He missed 57 games as a result.
Since coming off the disabled list, Peralta has hit .237 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. He had a five-game hitting streak end with his 0-for-1 on Tuesday. Greg Garcia was in the lineup Wednesday night as Peralta's replacement at third base.
"They don't want me to do anything today," Peralta said. "Just the training and doing what I need to do with my hand. [Thursday] morning when I come here we'll see about my swing and we'll figure it out before the game."