Kendrick hoping to make final two starts

PHILADELPHIA -- Kyle Kendrick's right shoulder seems to be fine, which certainly is good news for the Phillies.

He had a MRI exam on Tuesday following five weeks of discomfort, but he said Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park he hopes to make his final two starts of the season. Kendrick was scheduled to pitch Wednesday, but the Phillies scratched him for precautionary reasons. Zach Miner started in his place, and pitched three scoreless innings in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Marlins in 10 innings, giving up two hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

"It was to the point where I wanted to get it checked out, because it wasn't going away," Kendrick said. "It put my mind at ease. Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow and play some light catch Friday. … Some tendinitis. A little bit of fraying, but nothing crazy. Nothing most pitchers don't have."

Kendrick is 3-9 with a 6.45 ERA in 14 starts since late June. Before that, he was 16-14 with a 3.50 ERA in a 40-start stretch.

"I definitely haven't felt 100 percent," he said. "Usually, in the past, I've felt pretty good. I'm not going to make excuses, but I didn't feel good. I'll just tell you that. Hopefully with this rest and knowing what it is, it can help me out a little bit."

Kendrick's struggles come at a bad time. He is eligible for salary arbitration after the season, and his recent struggles could cost him.

"It's obviously frustrating," he said. "You want to pitch well every time you're out there. My second half is not what I've wanted, what the organization wanted, nor what the fans wanted. But it's a game, and the guys I'm facing are trying to do well also. The main thing is my health right now, knowing where it's at. And that's good. Hopefully I can get those two more starts and finish strong."