Michael Wacha was a Cardinals postseason hero in 2013, winning four games then after he had won just four during the regular season. His career record in the majors is 58-36 but his earned-run average this year is 5.54 and, for the second time this season, he is back in the bullpen — perhaps not to re-emerge.

Wacha was told Saturday that Daniel Ponce de Leon, who was impressive again on Friday when he held Arizona to one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings, was going to continue to make starts. The next one, on Wednesday, will be the one Wacha had been told he would have.

“They originally told me I was on Tuesday,” said Wacha (5-4).

That was before Adam Wainwright came up with a bad back and Ponce de Leon took his start. Wainwright returned Sunday to pitch brilliantly and Miles Mikolas and Jack Flaherty were pushed back a day. And Wacha was pushed back to the bullpen.

“Things change, you know,” Wacha said. “That’s the way the game goes.”

But the 28-year-old very much is taking the high road.