OAKLAND, Calif. — After several conversations with Matt Carpenter and a scouting report from a trusted colleague, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt suggested that the veteran leadoff hitter will be returning to the team “sooner rather than later.” That could mean at soon as Sunday.

Carpenter traveled Saturday to join the team in California that night, and he’s likely to be with them at Oakland Coliseum for the finale of the two-game interleague series against the Athletics.

The team had not yet decided Saturday night whether he’ll be activated for Sunday’s game, or if his return will be Monday when the Cardinals open a series at Dodger Stadium.

In the past 12 days, Carpenter has bounced between Class AAA Memphis and Class AA Springfield, recovering from a bruised foot and searching for his swing. He agreed to the rehab assignment with the purpose of reviving his production without the pressure of the standings.

This season, Carpenter has hit .215 with a .321 on-base percentage and a .693 OPS. All of those would be career lows. The former All-Star went two-for-26 (.077) with seven walks and eight strikeouts in nine rehab games. Both of those hits came Thursday, and he also had three RBIs in that game for Triple-A Memphis.