ST. LOUIS -- Though the Cardinals have had to press pause on Michael Wacha's rehab assignment, the club does not believe that the fatigue that forced Wacha out of his rehab start early on Tuesday will foil his chances of returning in September.
"Nothing dramatic, we don't think," manager Mike Shildt said. "Everything is still optimistic at this point."
Wacha, who felt some soreness around his left oblique during a 52-pitch effort for Double-A Springfield, returned to St. Louis on Wednesday to be evaluated by the Cardinals' medical team. They cleared him to resume playing catch on Friday. If that goes well, Wacha will throw a bullpen session and could make another rehab start sometime next week.
"Obviously, it's a bit of a mild setback," Shildt said. "Any time you lose a day or two, you feel it a little bit. We don't feel like he's overly compromised and has the option to come back and start based on him being able to move forward."
Several other injured Cardinals also remain on the mend. Marcell Ozuna (right shoulder inflammation) took batting practice in the indoor cage on Thursday, and, according to Shildt, "feels really, really good about what's going on." Ozuna is likely to be activated from the disabled list this weekend.
Jedd Gyorko received encouraging results from an MRI scan of his strained left groin. Shildt noted that "it's not as bad as it could have been" and that "he'll be back sooner rather than later." Gyorko won't be eligible to return from the DL until Sept. 8. A better idea of his exact timetable will be known closer to that date.

Matt Carpenter returned to the lineup one day after exiting with nausea. Yairo Munoz, who was struck on the elbow by a pitch in Wednesday's loss, was dealing with some soreness, but available off the bench.
Rotation reshuffling
The Cardinals will call up Daniel Poncedeleon to start Saturday's game against the Reds, but are still working through their starting pitching options for Sunday's series finale.
Though that would normally be Jack Flaherty's turn to pitch, Shildt acknowledged that the club is considering building in an extra day of rest for the 22-year-old rookie. If the Cardinals choose to do so, Luke Weaver or Tyson Ross would be candidates to slide out of the 'pen and make a start.
The fact that rosters expand on Saturday gives the Cardinals the flexibility to make these sorts of tweaks with their pitching staff. The club expects to insert a sixth starter into the mix at various times during the final month of the regular season.
Fall League rosters announced
The Cardinals will be represented by eight players in the Arizona Fall League, which unveiled its six team rosters on Thursday. Pitchers Conner Greene, Evan Kruczynski, Connor Jones and Andrew Morales; catcher Jeremy Martinez; infielders Tommy Edman and Andy Young; and outfielder Lane Thomas will all play for Triple-A Memphis manager Stubby Clapp on the Surprise Saguaros club. Both Greene (No. 27) and Jones (No. 30) currently rank on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Cardinals prospect list.
The AFL season begins on Oct. 9.
Worth noting
• Dakota Hudson has been named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year after receiving over 85 percent of the vote. Before earning a promotion to St. Louis, Hudson went 13-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 19 Triple-A starts. He still leads the PCL in wins and ERA despite not pitching for Memphis in more than a month.