Westbrook, who is 2-1 with a 1.62 ERA in six starts this season, has been on the disabled list since May 9 with scar tissue build-up in his surgically repaired right elbow. Westbrook was slated to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday and if things went well, the hope was to have him back on the bump sooner rather than later to help the rotation get back to as close to full strength as possible.
Unfortunately, the bullpen session did not go well.
Jake Westbrook had to stop throwing after 20 pitches. Said elbow did not feel right. Not sure what next step will be.
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) May 23, 2013
The setback certainly is bad news for the Cardinals, who were hoping not only for Westbrook to return to stabilize the suddenly physically wobbly starting rotation, but also to help avoid forcing some young prospects into positions that general manager John Mozeliak is not ready put them in.
The Cardinals called up Tyler Lyons to take Jaime Garcia's spot in the rotation rather than move Seth Maness, Carlos Martinez or Joe Kelly from the bullpen. He also chose Lyons over phenom prospect Michael Wacha, who Mozeliak obviously wants to stall in the minors for as long as possible.
If Westbrook is unable to get better soon, the Cardinals could really be in a pickle, unless Tyler Lyons is able to bail them out and pitch well.
