When the Cardinals started their post-All-Star-break schedule Friday night against Arizona, veteran righthander Adam Wainwright didn’t start it with them. Wainwright, the slated starter for the game, was scratched with back spasms and was replaced by righthander Daniel Ponce de Leon.

But manager Mike Shildt said Wainwright, who reported Thursday that he had been having a spasm, would not miss a turn and that Wainwright could pitch in a “couple of days. Sunday, potentially," said Shildt

That would be determined on Saturday and then Miles Mikolas and Jack Flaherty would move back a day.

Ponce de Leon was playing catch during Thursday’s workout attended by only a few Cardinals and Shildt said Ponce de Leon, 1-0, with a 2.16 earned run average, didn’t know of his starting assignment until Friday.

Matt Carpenter, who was on the injured list with a strained lower back, has returned, but not as the leadoff man. Carpenter, who had batted .216 with a .325 on-base percentage, was slotted fifth behind fourth-place hitter Paul Goldschmidt, with recent sparkplug Tommy Edman leading off and playing second and with Kolten Wong out against a lefthander.