Cardinals place struggling Westbrook on 15-day DL

ST. LOUIS -- Right-hander Jake Westbrook was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the St. Louis Cardinals because of a lower back strain.

The move, announced on Friday, is retroactive to Thursday.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said rookie left-hander Tyler Lyons will take Westbrook's spot in the rotation Monday against Cincinnati.

Rookie right-hander Carlos Martinez was recalled from Class AAA Memphis and will be used in relief.

The Cardinals do not believe the injury is season-ending and Westbrook said that's the biggest reason to place him on the DL "to kind of knock it out, get me back to where I don't have any of those nagging things, get back to full strength."

Cardinals pitcher Jake Westbrook looks up at the scoreboard during a game earlier this month in Cincinnati. Westbrook, who has given up 30 earned runs in 26 innings over his last five starts, was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained lower back Friday. (Al Behrman ~ Associated Press)

Westbrook said he's had minor back issues in the past and what team doctors told him was "not alarming."

"When you're sore, it's hard to compete at this level," Matheny said about Westbrook. "Tyler's had a strong season and I just like where he is right now, what he brings to our club."

In his past five starts, Westbrook has given up 30 earned runs in 26 innings and said the back injury made it difficult to finish pitches.

He was on the disabled list earlier this year with an elbow injury but said the elbow has felt "pretty good" lately.

"It's really just more kind of aggravating," said the 35-year-old Westbrook, who is 7-8 with a 4.49 ERA. "It's one of the things that I've been just kind of fighting through."

Westbrook said it's been a "grind" the past few seasons.

"It seems to be always something, but I try to battle through it and no excuses for me," Westbrook said. "I never make any, and I never will."

Lyons won his first two career starts and is 2-4 with a 5.09 ERA in eight games, all but one of them starts. He's 7-2 with a 3.39 ERA in 16 starts at Memphis.

The 21-year-old Martinez made his first career major league start Aug. 8 against the Dodgers and is 0-1 in 11 games with St. Louis. He is 5-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 12 starts at Memphis. Matheny said he could be used in long relief.