Brad Penny Suffers Setback In Rehab, Sees Return Delayed

Some good news for the Cardinals. Rehabbing starting pitcher Brad Penny was re-examined on Wednesday after cutting short a simulated game, and the results are promising:

The discomfort appears to be an extension of Penny’s previous injury. His return is still delayed, but this could’ve been worse.

Brad Penny’s upper back injury was originally supposed to be minor. More and more time passed that he was out, though, and he didn’t throw off a mound until the end of June. Finally able to face live batters, Penny then lasted all of one inning of a simulated game before he had to call it quits:

Tony La Russa called this latest setback a “big negative”, and you can expect the Cardinals to ramp up efforts to land a new starting pitcher. Wainwright, Carpenter, and Garcia form a formidable 1-2-3, but 4 and 5 are wide open, and Penny now seems to be a ways off.

After leaving Friday night’s start, Cardinals starter Brad Penny is officially headed to the 15-day disabled list. From USA Today:

After suffering through lackluster campaigns in 2008 and 2009, Penny has looked sharp this year in St. Louis, contributing a 3.23 ERA to a stellar rotation. The Cardinals owe much of their first-place position in the NL Central to their pitching.

On the season, Penny is 3-4 with a 3.23 ERA.