ST. LOUIS — Starting pitchers Kyle Lohse and John Smoltz — the St. Louis Cardinals’ two candidates to be the No. 4 starter for the team in the postseason — will be available out of the bullpen in Games 1 and 2 of the National League Division Series, manager Tony La Russa said this afternoon.

It was clear a week ago that both righthanders would be on the postseason roster, though the Cardinals had been cagey about what role each would have.

La Russa said the team is considering taking 11 or 12 pitchers on the NLDS roster. He did not say which of the two veterans would be targeted for Game 4 of the NLDS. The Cardinals have several options should the best-of-five series get to a Game 4. Either Smoltz or Lohse could start, or Game 1 starter Chris Carpenter could return if the Cardinals faced elimination.

For Games 1 and 2, La Russa said, Smoltz and Lohse will be listed as available out of the bullpen. Both veterans offer different skills out of the bullpen.

“John — you could use him for one hitter or one big inning,” La Russa said. “You look at Lohse more for multiple innings. That’s the nice about the veterans. (With Smoltz) if you need him the next day, he’s ready the next day.”

The tune has also changed for third baseman Troy Glaus.

It wasn’t much more than a week ago that Glaus was sidelined by an oblique strain and his chances of being on the postseason roster appeared vaporized by another injury. La Russa even set the stage for it by talking about how much time Glaus had missed while the rest of the team kept chugging along toward an NL Central title. When the Cardinals clinched last weekend in Colorado, Glaus was not with the club — he had been told to stay back in St. Louis until he was ready to swing a bat.

Today: The obvious became the confirmed.

“He missed five months, all of spring training, but he’s come back (swinging the bat) and that shows what a talented veteran he is,” La Russa said. “We haven’t nailed anything down, but he’s getting strong consideration.”

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