Mozeliak says Cardinals not actively pursuing starting pitcher

ST. LOUIS -- After undergoing yet another MRI exam on top of countless X-rays and CT scans, Michael Wacha joked that if there were many more medical tests in his immediate future his body might start to glow.

The right-hander, a top-of-the-rotation talent when healthy, is the St. Louis Cardinals' biggest offseason question mark on the pitching staff because of unknowns that come with an unusual injury called a stress reaction.

He's not the only one, with ace Adam Wainwright coming off what the team terms minor elbow surgery and lefty Jaime Garcia iffy coming off unproven thoracic outlet surgery to relieve nerve compression.

For now, the NL Central champions project confidence there's more than enough pitching to make another run to the postseason.

General manager John Mozeliak and team chairman Bill DeWitt both said at the team's Winter Warm-Up fan festival this weekend that they're not in the market for a high-dollar addition such as Max Scherzer or Cole Hamels.

"No. A lot's been written about that, though, huh?" Mozeliak said. "A lot of rumors, a lot of speculation. Obviously, we have been an organization that tends to be opportunistic if something should arise.

"At this point, no, we're not actively shopping."

Wainwright, a 20-game winner for the second time, was so sore at the end of last season and the elbow so overworked, his wife had to help him open jars of food.

"My masculinity took a hit at the end of the year," Wainwright said. "I can open jars now, though. You want me to?"

Wainwright also noted proudly that he began playing catch this winter on the "exact same day."

"So, I'm on schedule and until I hear otherwise I'm just going to proceed as I normally would," Wainwright said.

The Cardinals are also minus a starter from last season with Shelby Miller traded to Atlanta to acquire outfielder Jason Heyward, a move necessitated by the death of top prospect Oscar Taveras. But they believe there's plenty of depth behind a rotation of Wainwright, Wacha, Lance Lynn, John Lackey and Carlos Martinez.

Lefty Marco Gonzales followed Wacha making the jump from first-round draft pick to the rotation in one year, and Tyler Lyons also has starting experience.

Mozeliak said "the feedback's been extraordinarily positive" about Garcia. One rib was removed during the procedure last summer.

The surgery wasn't a success for former Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, who was forced to retire, but Garcia is several years younger.

"I don't want to make of it," the general manager said. "I don't want to put too much pressure on him or on the club."