Cardinals place Wainwright on DL with elbow injury

A day after returning to St. Louis to consult with team physicians about his arm, Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right elbow impingement, the team confirmed.

Friday's news comes after Wainwright struggled through one of his worst starts of the season. He went only three innings Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing five runs on seven hits while failing to register a strikeout for the second straight start.

It was the latest disappointment over the course of a trying campaign, his worst in 11 full-time seasons. Over 23 starts, the 35-year-old has managed a respectable 12-5 record while posting a career-worst 5.12 ERA.

This is Wainwright's second trip to the disabled list this season after missing time in late July with a back issue.

The Cardinals also recalled 25-year-old right-hander Mike Mayers who made two appearances at the major-league level earlier this season. He's posted a 3.36 ERA with 88 strikeouts over 99 innings at Triple-A Memphis between the starting rotation and the bullpen.

Mayers will likely slot into the bullpen with righty Luke Weaver getting another shot in the rotation, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.