Cardinals' Steven Matz: Goes on IL with lat strain

St. Louis placed Matz on the 15-day injured list Monday with a left lat strain.

This injury comes with brutal timing for the 32-year-old southpaw, who has delivered a 1.86 ERA and 38:7 K:BB in 38.2 innings (seven starts) since returning to the Cardinals' rotation in early July following a month-long stint in the bullpen. Zack Thompson will take over the vacant rotation spot, possibly through the remainder of the 2023 campaign. Lat strains usually require several weeks of rest and rehab, and St. Louis is fully out of contention here in mid-August.