Kyle McClellan, whose nagging hip injury led to a brief stint on the 15-day disabled list, is expected to return to the St. Louis Cardinals’ beleaguered rotation on Wednesday, when he’ll pitch the second game of the team’s series against the Washington Nationals. McClellan declared himself 100% over the weekend, which—if the Cardinals doctors happen to agree—should lead to the end of Lance Lynn’s first trip through the Major Leagues.
McClellan, who spent three years in the Cardinals’ bullpen prior to being converted in the wake of Adam Wainwright’s season-ending elbow injury, sits at 6-2 with an ERA of 3.86 in 2011; he’s concerned some observers with his less-than-stellar peripherals, particularly a low strikeout rate, but the curse of BAbip has yet to bite him. He was coming off his worst start of the season when he hit the disabled list.
Lance Lynn was 1-1 with a 5.23 ERA in the two games he spent with the Cardinals, flashing a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a surprising willingness to go up the ladder on Major League power hitters. He figures to be the first starter recalled from Memphis for the remainder of the season, and a Spring Training fixture in 2012.