Rosenthal in line for activation from DL

ST. LOUIS — Nine pitches was all Trevor Rosenthal needed on Tuesday to feel confident that he’s ready to transition out of the rehab phase and back into a relief role for the Cardinals.

Throwing his second batting-practice session in four days, Rosenthal faced three hitters. He struck out two (Alberto Rosario and Tommy Pham) and generated a lazy fly ball off the bat of Brayan Pena. It completed a 25-minute exercise that began with Rosenthal playing flat-ground catch and throwing off the mound in the bullpen.

“There were a few feel things I wanted to be able to repeat, some mechanical things, and I went into it with the idea that if I could feel confident with those, I would save the bullets,” Rosenthal said of choosing to cut off the session when he did. “I feel pretty confident in the way the ball is coming out, my command, and being able to repeat my delivery.”

The progress Rosenthal has made since being shut down with inflammation in his right shoulder on July 26 has him in line to be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday. Michael Wacha, who threw BP on Monday, is also expected to be activated at that time.

Wacha, like Rosenthal, will become an option out of the …

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