ST. LOUIS -- When rookie Michael Wacha met the St. Louis media after being called up in late May, he was planning to be in the majors for a while.
"I'm here to stay," Wacha said.
Well, not this time.
Opting to keep lefty Tyler Lyons in the rotation, the Cardinals sent Wacha back to Triple-A Memphis on Friday when they had to clear a spot on the roster for Jake Westbrook's return.
After a flawless debut during which he worked seven innings and allowed only one run, Wacha struggled at times in his other two outings. He heads back to Triple A with a 1-0 record and 4.58 ERA in 17 2/3 innings.
Manager Mike Matheny calls Wacha's changeup the best in the organization, and the 6-foot-6 right-hander's fastball averaged 92.4 mph in the big leagues. His curveball, however, showed that it still needs work. By his third start, hitters seemed to have picked up when Wacha was throwing his breaker.
With Jaime Garcia lost for the season, sticking with Lyons keeps a left-handed presence in the Cardinals' rotation.
Lyons, 25, is listed on STATS, Inc., as the scheduled Saturday starter for the Cardinals, who are in Miami for a three-game series. Lance Lynn, who would be on regular rest Saturday, is listed as the Sunday starter. Local media outlets, however, report that Lyons will go Sunday and Lynn on Saturday.
Lyons' performance has slipped in his past two starts. After winning his first two starts by working seven innings and allowing only one run, he has lost his past two starts while giving up four runs in each.
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