LHP Zach Duke (Tommy John surgery) took another step in his rehab Sunday, when he threw a scoreless inning for Triple-A Memphis. It capped the first set of back-to-back outings for Duke, who also threw a scoreless frame on Saturday night. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said he is very encouraged by Duke, who is making a rapid recovery from the surgeries he underwent last October, and hinted he could return to the major league roster soon. Duke hasn't allowed a run in eight rehab appearances between the Cardinals' rookie-league Gulf Coast League affiliate, Single-A Palm Beach and Memphis. He went 2-1 with a 2.36 ERA and two saves in a career-high 81 games last season for the Cardinals and Chicago White Sox.

LHP Zach Duke (left elbow) continued his rehab assignment Friday night for Triple-A Memphis, working a scoreless sixth inning at Nashville. Duke, who walked a batter but didn't permit a hit, has pitched four shutout innings in four rehab games between Memphis, Single-A Palm Beach and the GCL Cardinals. His return following the All-Star break looks more and more likely, about nine months after Tommy John surgery.

LHP Zach Duke (left elbow) was promoted on his rehab assignment from Class-A Palm Beach to Triple-A Memphis, perhaps a sign that the big club is seriously thinking about activating him following the All-Star break. Duke has pitched three scoreless innings over three games. He underwent Tommy John surgery after the 2016 season.

LHP Zach Duke (left elbow) pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the third game of his rehab assignment Wednesday at Single-A Palm Beach, recording a strikeout. Duke has worked three scoreless innings so far between the Cardinals' Florida State League affiliate and their team in the Gulf Coast League. His comeback from Tommy John surgery last offseason remains ahead of schedule.

LHP Zach Duke (left elbow) has had his rehab assignment transferred from the organization's Gulf Coast League squad to Single-A Palm Beach of the Florida State League. Duke was supposed to be out all season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the offseason, but has recovered surprisingly fast. The veteran could offer the Cardinals another solid lefthanded option in late innings.

LHP Zach Duke (left elbow surgery) appeared for a second straight game on his rehab assignment Saturday, pitching a 1-2-3 inning for St. Louis' Gulf Coast League affiliate and fanning two. Duke pitched 81 games for the White Sox and Cardinals last year but was supposed to be sidelined until 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. But he could be back after the All-Star break.

LHP Zach Duke (left elbow surgery) started a rehab assignment Friday for the Cardinals Gulf Coast League affiliate, allowing a hit in a scoreless inning while fanning one. The 34-year old Duke was scheduled to be out all year, but has apparently made a quick recovery and could be up with the big club no later than the end of July. His presence would give the bullpen another durable lefty.

LHP Zach Duke (Tommy John surgery) went under the knife shortly after the 2016 season ended and will miss all of 2017. Duke, acquired from the Chicago White Sox shortly before the trading deadline last July, was one of baseball's busiest relievers last year with 81 appearances.

LHP Zack Duke joined the Cardinals for their three-game series in Cincinnati. Duke was acquired via trade from the White Sox in exchange for OF Charlie Tilson on Sunday. He was 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in a major-league-leading 53 appearances for the Sox. Duke made his Cardinals debut in the sixth inning Tuesday and allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. "I hadn't pitched since Saturday, but no excuses," Duke said.

LHP Zach Duke was added to the 25-man roster. Duke, who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in 53 appearances this season.

LHP Zach Duke, 33, was acquired in a trade with the Chicago White Sox for minor league OF Charlie Tilson. Duke was 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in 53 relief appearances this year with Chicago. Duke was used by the White Sox as a lefty specialist, and he responded by getting 10 strikeouts per nine innings. He also got a lot of groundballs -- 58.8 percent ratio. His walk ratio of 3.8 is a bit high, but Duke should be a good fit for St. Louis. He is signed through next year, when he will be paid $5.5 million.

LHP Zach Duke was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals from the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. In exchange, the White Sox get minor league OF Charlie Tilson. Duke, 33, is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in an American League-leading 53 appearances this season. He has 42 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings pitched. Duke has appeared in 413 career major league games with 169 starts (all made between 2005-13), posting a 60-83 record and a 4.35 ERA.

LHP Zach Duke entered Monday night's game with the bases loaded, nobody out and the game tied 1-1 -- and pitched out of the jam to set the White Sox up for the win. "It was a little bit stressful but those are the moments that we kind of look for as players -- to be handed the ball in a situation and get the job done, that's what we look for," said Duke (2-0).

LHP Zach Duke hadn't allowed a run in his last five outings, but that changed Wednesday night when Duke gave up an RBI single to Boston DH David Ortiz that gave the Red Sox a 4-2 lead.

LHP Zach Duke had a seven-pitch inning of effective relief, striking out two batters and throwing nothing but strikes to lower his ERA to 3.38 on the season. The White Sox bullpen had struggled in Saturday's loss, but had two scoreless innings of relief in Sunday's loss.

Duke (3-6) failed to record an out while giving up a hit, an earned run and walk in Tuesday's 2-1 extra-inning loss to the Tigers.

Duke surrendered a two-out triple to Rajai Davis in the home half of the tenth inning, sending the Tigers home victorious. The veteran reliever has been credited with 24 holds on the season but failed to record an out for the second time in eight September appearances.

Duke took the loss to the Twins on Tuesday after allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits without recording an out.

Poor defense plagued Duke's brief appearance. However, he was not entirely blameless -- the Twins scored the go ahead run after he threw the ball away. Duke has appeared in a team-high 59 games, but the White Sox may tone down the usage now that rosters have expanded and they are virtually out of the race.

Duke allowed three base runners, all of whom scored, in two-thirds of an inning against the Cardinals Wednesday.

As Duke is apt to do, he entered the eighth inning trying to protect a narrow margin. However, his night was thrown into disarray by a single, hit-by-pitch and a catcher's interference, and then all three men scored on a triple off the subsequent reliever. Duke's name should circulate a fair deal over the next week-and-a-half if the White Sox decide to sell parts to contenders.

Duke struck out two Rangers in a perfect eighth inning Saturday to earn his 12th hold of the season.

Duke has been far less dominant this season than he was in 2014, missing fewer bats and allowing runs in seven of his 30 appearances. However, he remains entrenched as the team's eighth inning guy and top setup man to closer David Robertson.

Duke picked up his first save of the season over 1.1 scoreless innings in the 7-6 win against the A's

Duke was simply stepping in for David Robertson who has pitched in four of the last five games. This is Duke's second career save and he's been solid out of the White Sox bullpen, posting a 2.76 ERA in 15 innings this season.