Joe Kay, of The Associated Press, reports St. Louis Cardinals SP Brad Thompson gave up three runs in five innings Friday, Aug. 15, to earn the victory. He gave up just three hits in his fourth start of the year and first since June 19.

News: Friday at Cincinnati, Cardinals SP Brad Thompson gave up only three hits in his fourth start of the season and his first since June 19. He allowed three runs -- two earned -- in five innings, walking one and striking out four to pick up the victory. The right-hander also has made 16 relief appearances.

Analysis: Thompson has been mostly a reliever for the Cardinals this season, and he only started Friday because Chris Carpenter had a strained right shoulder. Since he'll go back to the bullpen, leave him for the deepest of NL-only leagues

An impressive effort in the first start since June 19 for Thompson, who'd been somewhat erratic from the 'pen but stepped up nicely in place of an injured Chris Carpenter on Friday. With a pair of off days for the Cardinals in the next week, it appears unlikely that Thompson would get the ball again until later in the month, the next time the club needs a fifth starter.

News: St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Chris Carpenter will miss his scheduled start Friday because of a muscle strain in his right shoulder. Carpenter (0-1) had been scheduled to start at Cincinnati against Bronson Arroyo. Brad Thompson (4-2) will start in Carpenter's place.

Analysis: Thompson has been mostly a reliever for the Cardinals this season. He's 4-2 with a 4.34 ERA in 45.7 innings pitched. We can't imagine him getting more than the one start and he's certainly not a viable Fantasy starter until we see if he has the chops. Ignore him at this time

Cardinals.MLB.com's Charlie Nobles reports St. Louis Cardinals P Brad Thompson will start Friday, Aug. 15.

Of Thompson's 19 appearances this season, three have been starts. He is 4-2 with a 4.34 ERA. Garcia has six appearances, with one start. He is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA. Garcia has pitched only 11 innings for the Cardinals, while Thompson has thrown 45 2/3.

Updating an earlier story, Brad Thompson will make the start on Friday in place of Chris Carpenter, who is out with a shoulder strain, according to StLCardinals.com.Thompson has decent numbers having been used as both a reliever and starter this season. Still, they are not good enough to warrant a spot on fantasy teams.

Brad Thompson will start in place of Chris Carpenter on Thursday against the Reds. He'll get the call over Jaime Garcia. Thompson has a 2.87 ERA in his three starts for the Cardinals this season, but a 4.34 ERA when you factor in his relief work. He's given up four runs in his last three innings of work, making him a shaky start in NL-only leagues.Source: Cardinals.mlb.com Related: Jaime Garcia

Brad Thompson is a candidate for a spot start Friday if the ailing Chris Carpenter is unable to pitch, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The team would pick a starter internally and not recall a player from the minors.Fellow reliever Jamie Garcia is also a candidate to start Friday, and skipper Tony LaRussa noted that how they're used in this four-game series against Florida will determine which pitcher is slated to make the start.