Rosenthal strains groin, but not worried

JUPITER, Fla. -- Trevor Rosenthal stopped his live batting-practice session a few pitches early due to a right groin strain on Tuesday, but he said afterward that he does not expect the issue to sideline him for long.

Rosenthal called trainer Greg Hauck and manager Mike Matheny over near the end of his throwing session to alert them to the discomfort. Rosenthal said he wanted to make the staff aware, because he had never before experienced tightness in that area.

"If it was during the season, I feel like it would be something not worth stopping [for]," Rosenthal said. "With the situation being now, I just thought I would say something. I felt it once, so I said something as soon as I could."

He had been scheduled to throw 25 pitches and did come close to that number before leaving the field with Hauck. Rosenthal spent time in the trainer's room to ice an area of his leg that he described as "the meat of the muscle" and to undergo treatment.

"Our approach right now is going to be day to day," general manager John Mozeliak said. "I do feel like this is caught early enough that it probably avoided anything more serious."

The Cardinals had not announced when Rosenthal, who has already been tapped as the team's closer, is scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League start. Even if this were to keep the right-hander off the mound for a few days, he still has plenty of time to get his necessary innings in before the regular season opens.

Rosenthal did offer an encouraging report on his arm, however, noting that "everything felt great."

"It's a progression," he said, "so it felt better than last time."