Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said he expects Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) to return this season.

GM John Mozeliak said the same thing earlier this week. Sanchez has been out since mid-June with a strained shoulder and suffered a setback around the All-Star break when he was on a rehab assignment, but he's been throwing pain-free and should be back in a couple weeks.

Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) played catch Thursday.

Sanchez threw 25 pitches off a mound earlier this week and continues to make steady progress in his recovery from a strained shoulder. The talented 22-year-old setup man is aiming to return to the major leagues by the end of the regular season.

Eduardo Sanchez threw 25 pitches off a mound Monday, reporting no issues with his shoulder.

Sanchez has been sidelined since June with a strained shoulder and was recently transferred to the 60-day disabled list. The 22-year-old setup man is hoping to continue making progress, with an eye on returning to the back end of the Cards' bullpen in mid-September.

Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) has resumed throwing.

Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan told KFNS 590 AM in St. Louis on Tuesday that team doctors are confident Sanchez will be ready to go at some point in September. The young setup man had a sparkling 1.88 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings earlier this season out of the St. Louis 'pen. He's a promising 22-year-old righty.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak thinks there's a good chance Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) will return to pitch later this season.

Good news. Sanchez will be shut down until late August after experiencing renewed soreness in his shoulder during a rehab assignment, but evidently Mozeliak is confident he'll get better with rest and make a return in September. The young righty posted a 1.88 ERA with 33 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings before getting hurt.

Eduardo Sanchez will be shut down for at least six weeks with renewed soreness in his right shoulder.

He'll be reevaluated after that time. Though there's still a chance that Sanchez could come back at the end of the season, the odds are probably against it. The Cardinals are not considering surgery at this time. Sanchez had been a vital part of St. Louis' bullpen before getting hurt, posting a 1.88 ERA with 33 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings.

Eduardo Sanchez was shut down from his minor league rehab assignment due to renewed soreness in his shoulder.

Tough break for the Cardinals. Sanchez didn't have the best results over his first three rehab appearances, but his velocity was reportedly good. Now that the hard-throwing right-hander is sidelined indefinitely, look for the Cards to intensify their search for bullpen help.

The Cardinals will not activate Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) immediately after the All-Star break.

Sanchez is recovered from the shoulder inflammation that landed him on the disabled list in June, but he's been wild in two rehab outings at Double-A Springfield and the Cardinals want him to work on his control for another couple of days. The 22-year-old had a 1.88 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings before the soreness.

Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) is expected to be back with the Cardinals for the first game of the second half.

Sanchez will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield Thursday. He's been dealing with some shoulder inflammation but has seen notable improvement recently and will be ready to resume his setup duties before long.

Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment Thursday with Double-A Springfield.

Sanchez will pitch Thursday and Saturday before being reevaluated. The 22-year-old right-hander had an excellent 1.88 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings before being placed on the disabled list last month with shoulder inflammation.

Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) threw a successful bullpen session Monday at Busch Stadium.

Sanchez told reporters that he's feeling "really good" and aiming to return to the Cardinals' bullpen soon after the All-Star break. The setup man left behind a sparkling 1.88 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings when he hit the disabled list in mid-June with shoulder inflammation.

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) is expected to be sidelined through the All-Star break with a rotator cuff issue.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak recently revealed that Sanchez was likely to miss a few more weeks, so news that he'll be sidelined through the break isn't too surprising. Te good news is that he's not expected to need surgery, but the Cards will obviously take no chances with their promising young reliever. Sanchez has a 1.88 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings this season.

The Cardinals are prepared for the possibility that Eduardo Sanchez (shoulder) will need more than the minimum amount of time on the disabled list.

An MRI last week on Sanchez's shoulder revealed no structural damage, but the Cards want to make sure the 22-year-old is over the inflammation before they rush him back. He still seems likely to return sometime before the All-Star break.

An MRI on Eduardo Sanchez's shoulder revealed no structural damage, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll come off the disabled list when first eligible on June 28.

"The key thing is, once he gets back his flexibility and strength, then it becomes just getting him back into that throwing environment," Cardinals GM John Mozeliak said. Sanchez should need a rehab assignment before being activated, though the Cardinals generally avoid sending players on such assignments, so it's not a given. Either way, we're probably looking at an early July return.

Eduardo Sanchez was sent back to St. Louis on Wednesday to have his shoulder examined.

The Cardinals are calling the examination "precautionary" and seem to think that Sanchez is only dealing with some mild shoulder inflammation. The 22-year-old rookie setup man has registered a stellar 1.88 ERA and 1.05 WHIP through his first 28 2/3 innings.

Eduardo Sanchez will be unavailable for a few days due to tightness in his shoulder.

Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan broke the news during an appearance on KFNS 590 AM in St. Louis on Wednesday morning. If Sanchez is hurting, it's been hard to tell by his recent performance. The 22-year-old right-hander hasn't allowed a run over his last nine appearances.

Eduardo Sanchez has not allowed an earned run in six consecutive relief appearances.

Sanchez struggled a bit when asked to close games for the Cardinals earlier this season, but he's back in a setup role now and again pitching brilliantly. With a high-90s fastball and devastating slider, he should remain a reliable eighth-inning presence for St. Louis all season. He could even vulture some saves.

Eduardo Sanchez recorded his fifth save with a scoreless 11th inning Tuesday against the Padres.

Fernando Salas got a much deserved day off after picking up saves each of the previous three days. Sanchez's save was his first sicne May 10. He probably won't get many additional opportunities unless Salas slips.

Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan indicated that Eduardo Sanchez has evolved into the head of the Cardinals' closer by committee.

Sanchez has received three of the Cardinals' last four saves chances and has converted all four of his opportunities. He was also in the game at the beginning of the ninth inning in that other save chance before being pulled so Fernando Salas could get the final out. Duncan said that on days when Sanchez is unavailable, Mitchell Boggs or Salas are the preferred ninth inning options. Salas has converted all three of his save chances, while Boggs hasn't had an opportunity since blowing a save on April 26. This situation probably isn't done changing, but Sanchez appears to be the man for now.

Eduardo Sanchez earned his third save of the season in Thursday's defeat of the Marlins.

Sanchez walked two batters, but he induced a double play and was able to escape the ninth inning with no damage done. The impressive young right-hander might not get every save opportunity for the Cardinals moving forward, but he's definitely becoming one of manager Tony La Russa's favorite options in tight situations.