Flaherty gave up one run on one hit and two walks over 1.2 innings during Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cubs. He had three strikeouts and did not qualify for the decision.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander's first start since the Cardinals resumed play last weekend was a short one, as the team limited him to 41 pitches in his first game action since July 24. Flaherty should continue to get stretched out toward his usual workload, but it figures to take a few starts following the multi-week hiatus. The 24-year-old's next outing lines up for Monday versus the Royals.

Flaherty, who's slated to start the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cubs, threw a bullpen session Friday and will throw another early in the week, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander's most recent and only game action came Opening Day, July 24 against the Pirates, so Flaherty has undoubtedly been challenged to keep his arm calibrated correctly. The bullpen sessions are naturally one of the most important vehicles to accomplish that, and manager Mike Shildt acknowledged Saturday it's a challenge to walk the fine line between injury risk to top players, dealing with ongoing absences, and fielding the best team possible. "Clearly, there's games to be won and competitions to be had, but it won't come at an expense to someone's health," Shildt said. "But someone has to pitch the innings. We do have the extra pitcher for the doubleheader. And we'll just continue to communicate. We've talked extensively with our group about just that."

Flaherty will start the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Cardinals are the "road" team for the first game and the "home" team for the second game. This will line Flaherty up for a two-start week the following week.

Flaherty isn't expected to make his next start until Monday's series opener with the Cubs after general manager John Mozeliak didn't name the right-hander as one of the Cardinals' three starting pitchers for this weekend's series with the White Sox, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Cardinals have received clearance from MLB to return to action Saturday, ending a 16-day hiatus that was caused by a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak. Though Flaherty wasn't among the players who tested positive, the Cardinals won't include their ace in the pitching schedule right away, as Mozeliak noted that the club will have Adam Wainwright start the front end of Saturday's doubleheader, while the other half of the twin bill is treated as a bullpen game. Dakota Hudson, meanwhile, will take the hill in the series finale with the White Sox on Sunday. The decision to hold Flaherty back isn't believed to be injury-related; instead, the Cardinals presumably just prefer to have him make a start against a tough division rival in the Cubs, who sport an MLB-best 13-3 record heading into Friday's action.

Flaherty won't be available to make his next start until at least Friday against the White Sox after the Cardinals' scheduled doubleheader with the Tigers on Thursday was postponed due to COVID-19-related concerns, the Associated Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

Flaherty hasn't pitched since the July 24 season opener versus the Pirates, as St. Louis' hiatus will now reach at least 15 days after having eight players and several staff members test positive for the coronavirus. Cardinals players and staff will continue to undergo additional testing over the next few days before MLB decides whether the team's series in Detroit will need to be postponed.

Flaherty won't start early this week after the Cardinals' upcoming series against the Pirates was postponed due to COVID-9-related concerns, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Flaherty had been scheduled to start the series opener against Pittsburgh, but the Cardinals' season will be put on hold for at least three more games as the team deals with a COVID-19 outbreak. The earliest that the team could resume action is in a doubleheader on the road Thursday against the Tigers. The team hasn't made any announcements regarding the plans for the rotation once games resume, but Flaherty could presumably be one of the Cardinals' first starters to take the mound.

Flaherty won't start Monday against the Pirates as the game was postponed due to the Cardinals' COVID-19 outbreak, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

It was reported earlier in the day the Cardinals wouldn't be allowed to practice together for at least three days, so it's not much of a surprise Monday's series opener won't be played. The remaining two games of the series aren't overly likely to go on as scheduled, and that decision could be made Sunday. The Cardinals may not see the field again until Thursday against the Tigers, which would be over two weeks since their previous game.

The date of Flaherty's start remains unclear, as there appears to be a significant chance the Cardinals' upcoming series against the Pirates will be canceled, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

When the Marlins had the first COVID-19 outbreak of the year, they wound up shut down for eight days. If the Cardinals followed a similar schedule, they would have already returned to play Friday, but players have continued to test positive, so their season continues to hang in the balance. The team isn't expected to practice together for at least three days, and they may not get the chance to play again until Thursday in Detroit, giving them more than two full weeks without any game action.

Manager Mike Shildt announced Thursday that Flaherty will make his next start either Sunday against the Cubs or Monday against the Pirates, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

According to Rob Rains of StLSportsPage.com, the team has opted to get Flaherty another side session under his belt before starting a game for the first time in over two weeks due to the club's COVID-19 outbreak. St. Louis will go with Daniel Ponce de Leon in Friday's opener against the Cubs and Flaherty will make his second start of the campaign on either Sunday or Monday.

Flaherty won't make his scheduled start during Sunday's doubleheader at Milwaukee since the games were postponed due to multiple positive tests for COVID-19, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 24-year-old was originally set to take the mound in Friday's series opener, but the numerous positive tests produced by St. Louis ended up postponing the weekend series in its entirety. Flaherty will presumably receive the starting nod for the Cardinals' next game, which is currently scheduled for Tuesday in Detroit, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.