Wainwright on abdominal injury: 'I don't think it's very serious at all'

Adam Wainwright insists his return to St. Louis for an abdominal examination is strictly precautionary.

The Cardinals ace was held out of workouts Tuesday after experiencing soreness in the area, though Wainwright told the club's medical staff the injury hasn't affected his ability to pitch.

Wainwright said he first felt the abdominal injury in a Monday weight room session. Since that time, he's thrown pain-free. The pain occurs when he runs or lunges.

''I want to be fair to you and say that anything I say about it will just be speculation,'' Wainwright said Wednesday morning at the team's spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. ''I don't think it's very serious at all. I think, probably going to up there, probably not going to see, much of anything all, but I don't know that.''

Wainwright, who's on a delayed throwing program this spring after undergoing minor surgery on his surgically repaired elbow, expects to rejoin the team late Thursday or early Friday.

''What I've been told is that there's a very high possibility that we are going to get up there and go, 'All right, just lay low for another couple of days and we're good,''' he said.

- With files from The Associated Press