Ever since Chris Carpenter started Game 5 for the Cardinals on Monday — a game they lost because Derek Holland threw the game of his life for the Rangers — there had been speculation that he might be called on to start Game 7 if there were a rain delay, which would allow him to throw on three days’ rest.

In the middle of the night, Cardinals beat writer Joe Strauss confirmed it:

Pitchers who go on three days’ rest in the postseason often have trouble; also, Carpenter has thrown 267 innings this season and there have been whispers that he has some elbow trouble, though he claims to be OK.

We’ll find out if this workload and possible injury issue is too much for him tonight; you can bet that Tony La Russa won’t stick long with Carpenter if he runs into trouble.