ST. LOUIS — Kyle Lohse left his start Saturday frustrated by its brevity and feeling a lingering soreness that has brought some uncertainty to his next start. Lohse had been set to make a start this coming weekend against the Chicago Cubs, but now St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said he is “keeping our options open.”

“I’m not sure about Lohse,” he said. “He came out of the game not quite 100 percent. That’s why you just want to keep your options open for the weekend.”

Lohse was making his first start since a trip to the disabled list to allow a strained groin to heal. Lohse spent several weeks on the disabled list earlier this season with a strained right forearm — a condition that still was not completely corrected when he made his first return. The strain in the forearm has been a mitigating factor with his control. Lohse was also quite aggressive Saturday in his short start, muscling his pitches and possibly over-extending himself.

La Russa said it falls to the team to be “super careful” with the presumptive No. 4 starter.

Lohse had an MRI taken of the right forearm on Monday, and his next step will be determined what what is revealed by the MRI. He played catch Monday, but he does not know when he’ll throw from a mound.

La Russa does have options.

The initial plan presented by La Russa was to have all of the starters take advantage of Thursday’s off day and come back on five days of rest. John Smoltz missing tonight’s start with tendinitis in his shoulder gives La Russa a chance to come back with him early, and Chris Carpenter’s appearance Sunday could allow him to come back on normal rest. That would give the Cardinals the chance to choose from a combination of Smoltz, Carpenter and Adam Wainwright to start against the Cubs.

“Anything’s possible,” La Russa said. “Could pitch any of them.”

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