ST. LOUIS — A key member of the starting rotation is heading to the injured list for the Cardinals, but the team will get reinforcements in the bullpen as they head out on their first road trip of the season.
Starting pitcher Miles Mikolas was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after suffering a right forearm strain. Mikolas missed all of spring training in Jupiter, Florida, with a flexor tendon injury but pitched in summer camp in St. Louis.
The Cardinals also activated a pair of right-handed pitchers ahead of Tuesday night's game against the Minnesota Twins. Top bullpen arm Giovanny Gallegos and 2015 draft pick Jake Woodford will be active for the team Tuesday night.
The Cardinals left a roster spot open at the beginning of the year in anticipation of Gallegos returning to the squad. In 66 appearances in 2019, he allowed the fewest baserunners per nine innings of any relief pitcher in the National League and posted an era of 2.31.
Woodford was ranked as the Cardinals' No. 11 prospect heading into the season. He has been named a minor league all-star three times in his young career and started the Triple-A All-Star Game in 2019. He has a career 3.87 ERA in 106 career appearances, 101 of which were starts.
The Cardinals have a number of arms that could provide a spot start in place of Mikolas. Woodford, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Austin Gomber all have extensive experience as starting pitchers.
The Cardinals took two of three games in their opening series against the Pittsburgh Pirates to start the 60-game regular season.
