ST. LOUIS (AP) -Cardinals shortstop Cesar Izturis missed his third straight start on Friday night with a bruised forearm, and it was unclear when he would return to the lineup.
Izturis was hit by a pitch thrown by the Brewers’ Eric Gagne on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old took fielding and batting practice before the game, but Brendan Ryan started at shortstop for the second straight game, in the opener of a three-game series against the Astros. The Cardinals recalled Ryan from a rehab assignment after Izturis was hit by the pitch.
The team’s medical report said that Izturis, batting .186 with three RBIs in 59 at-bats, was improving and that his availability was day to day.
“We’ll see when he gets cleared to play,” manager Tony La Russa.
Ryan was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI on Thursday but La Russa wouldn’t commit to him beyond Friday. Ryan was ninth in the order, where Izturis was used 17 times in the first 23 games.
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