CINCINNATI • The Cardinals’ uncertainty about lefty Tyler Lyons’ health not only influenced who was available Tuesday and Dean Kiekhefer’s travel plans but also how the team decided to start Jaime Garcia on short rest this past weekend.

A week ago the Cardinals learned that Lyons had pain within his right knee and that he was having difficulty with full extension of the leg. He pitched two innings for a hold a week ago in New York and pitched two-thirds of an inning Saturday in relief of Garcia. Manager Mike Matheny said Lyons’ inability to pitch more than an inning or two Saturday made the team uncomfortable starting him, but not using him in relief. That

led to the team turning to Garcia, who struggled in the first short-rest start of his career.

Lyons’ injury “was building up over time,” Matheny said.

Lyons was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right knee. The precursor to a stress fracture will require “a good little while” of inactivity, the manager said. He has not been told that Lyons will miss the rest of the season, but they expect several weeks before he’ll pitch. Lyons had an MRI taken of the joint shortly before Tuesday’s game, and the Cardinals had Kiekhefer remain in Cincinnati just in case he was needed. They added the lefty Wednesday.