Despite now being without both Jack Flaherty and Steven Matz, the starting rotation of the St. Louis Cardinals has performed quite well, with Miles Mikolas, Adam Wainwright, and Dakota Hudson leading the way.
Speaking of Flaherty, he has been out with a shoulder issue since the beginning of spring training.
Though he came back healthy at the end of the 2021 season, his shoulder still plagued him, and it has lingered into the 2022 season.
However, he’s on the road to recovery and appears to be making steady progress.
When asked about his progress by a fan, Cardinals writer Katie Woo responded with an update on Flaherty.
Flaherty tossed two more bullpens over the latest road trip (one in NY, one in PIT) and remains "on schedule" though his progression will require patience, per John Mozeliak. https://t.co/m0qTp0Swgh
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) May 23, 2022
Flaherty On His Way Back
Any shoulder injury for a pitcher usually takes a little time to recover from, but Flaherty looks to be on the right path, having thrown two bullpen sessions, one in New York and the other in Pittsburgh.
With Matz out for the foreseeable future due to a shoulder impingement, the Cardinals will need all the help they can get from their current starters and Flaherty when he finally returns.
He had been the Cards’ Opening Day starter in both 2020 and 2021.
His shoulder ailment made him unavailable for that game this year, as the Cards handed it off to Wainwright.
In 17 games last season, Flaherty went 9-2 with a 3.22 ERA, missing most of the season as a result of an oblique injury and a shoulder issue that resurfaced during the lockout.
John Mozeliak, the team’s president of baseball operations, has preached patience with Flaherty as he works his way back.
But this is good news for the Cardinals and their fans as they wait for the return of their young stud.
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