25 Dexter Fowler RF

Fowler is not in the lineup Monday against the Phillies.

Fowler will head to the bench for Monday's series opener as the Cardinals look to ease him back into action following his return over the weekend from a five-game absence due to an illness. Harrison Bader is starting in center field and hitting eighth in place of Fowler in this one.

Fowler (illness) went 0-for-3 with two walks, a stolen base and a run in a loss to the Cubs on Saturday.

Fowler was back in the lineup after fighting an illness over the course of the week. The veteran outfielder made his presence felt despite not hitting safely, and he now boasts a .420 on-base percentage across 100 plate appearances, a 142-point improvement over last season.

Fowler (illness) is back in the lineup Saturday against the Cubs, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

This will be his first start since Sunday, as he has been out of action with a virus. Tyler O'Neill was optioned to Triple-A earlier in the day, so Fowler should continue to serve as a regular for the Cardinals for the foreseeable future.

Fowler (illness) is available off the bench if needed Friday against the Cubs, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Fowler is sitting for the fifth straight game due to the flu. He hasn't appeared off the bench since Monday. Harrison Bader remains the starter in center field in his absence.

Fowler (illness) sits for the fifth straight game Friday against the Cubs.

It's not entirely clear whether Fowler has simply slipped behind Harrison Bader on the depth chart or if he's still battling the flu which was reportedly keeping him out of action earlier in the week. The fact that he hasn't even appeared off the bench since Monday points to the flu as the most likely explanation.