The St. Louis Cardinals have been without first baseman Lance Berkman since May 19, when he tore his meniscus in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But that could soon change, as Berkman is reportedly readying himself to return to the team shortly after the All-Star break. Berkman also believes that he won't have to a rehab assignment, but St. Louis' front office may disagree with him on that.

Joe Strauss: Berkman thinks he's going to be back shortly after the All-Star Break and doesn't think he'll need a rehab stint.

- Tim McKernan (@tmckernan) July 2, 2012

Berkman was hitting .333/.429/.571 prior to his injury, albeit in only 48 plate appearances. His injury coincided with a swoon by St. Louis that eventually saw them fall under .500, and most everyone would likely like to see Berkman back sooner rather than later.

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