Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak spoke to ESPN 101’s Brian Stull on Sunday morning about Chris Carpenter’s neck injury, which has been officially diagnosed as a bulging cervical disc.
Mozeliak didn’t get into many specifics about the diagnosis nor did he speak about a recovery timetable for the 36-year-old right-hander, but he did admit there is an awareness in the organization that a backup plan will be needed if Carpenter is forced to miss the first few weeks of the regular season.
Lance Lynn was a starter in the minors and could get consideration. Kyle McClellan is another option, as is lefty Marc Rzepczynski, a former starter in the Blue Jays’ system. The Cardinals also have one of the top pitching prospects in baseball in Shelby Miller, though the plan right now is for him to open in Triple-A.
Free agent right-hander Roy Oswalt seems set on waiting until the middle of the season to join a team, but the St. Louis front office did make an offer to him at one point this winter.
