Whatever progress Chris Carpenter had made in his recovery from a neck injury has been wiped away, as Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that the veteran right-hander has left Cardinals camp “to be further examined by nerve specialists after experiencing renewed symptoms associated with a bulging cervical disc.”
In other words: Not good.
According to Strauss he experienced “weakness” in his neck and shoulder after throwing batting practice Sunday, canceling today’s scheduled session and instead returning to St. Louis.
Carpenter’s odds of being ready for Opening Day now seem very slim, which means Lance Lynn figures to begin the season in the Cardinals’ rotation. However, general manager John Mozeliak told Strauss that surgery is not being considered at this point and Carpenter has not officially been ruled out for the opener yet.
And now Cardinals fans can hold their breath waiting for the latest test results to come back.