The Associated Press reports St. Louis Cardinals P Brad Thompson received an emergency start Sunday, Sept. 28, and won the game after allowing three runs in five innings.

News: Cardinals SP Brad Thompson gave up three runs -- two on a homer by Edwin Encarnacion -- on four hits in five innings Sunday against the Reds, picking up the victory. He walked one and struck out one. He got the start after right-hander Kyle Lohse was scratched to undergo physicals with team doctors. The Cardinals planned a news conference for Monday, when it is expected they will announce a new contract for Lohse, who finished with a team- and career-high 15 victories.

Analysis: Thompson has bounced between the rotation and bullpen this season, but he doesn't have enough upside to make a difference in Fantasy even if he opens next season in the bullpen. More likely than not, he'll pitch in relief anyway

Brad Thompson held the Reds to three runs in five innings to record a win on Sunday. Thompson was making just his sixth start of the season and finishes with a 5.15 ERA in 26 combined appearances. He'll head back to long relief in 2009.

Cardinals reliever Brad Thompson likely will not be available to pitch on Sunday due to lower back pain, according to MLB.com.Thompson is used in many different roles for St. Louis, and none are particularly successful. He has an ERA of 5.25, and has zero fantasy value.

News: Brad Thompson (5-3) gave up nine hits and six runs in 3 2/3 innings Sunday in his fifth start, falling behind 6-0 after two innings as each of the first five Pittsburgh batters reached base.

Analysis: Thompson is nothing more than a high-risk option for the deepest of NL-only leagues at this point. The Cardinals just might start Joel Pineiro in his place in Fantasy Week 25 (Sept. 15-21)

Brad Thompson lasted only 3.2 innings on Sunday as the Pirates beat him around the yard for nine hits and six runs in Thompson's third loss of the year.Thompson was supposed to start on Friday, but Tony LaRussa shifted things around. Too bad he did as it was clear from the get-go today that Thompson just didn't have it. His ERA went from 4.61 to 5.25 with this outing and he remains a risky play.

News: The Cardinals decided to flip SP Brad Thompson and SP Joel Pineiro in their rotation late Thursday, meaning Thompson, originally scheduled to pitch Friday at Pittsburgh, now won't pitch until Sunday.

Analysis: Thompson will be making his first start since Aug. 15 against the Reds. In that game, Thompson allowed two runs on three hits over five innings and was quite solid. It's too late to get him into this week's rotation in anything but daily Fantasy leagues, however, so wait and see what the Cardinals do next with him before picking him up off the waiver wire

The Associated Press reports St. Louis Cardinals RP Brad Thompson will start Sunday, Sept. 14, after originally scheduled to start Friday, Sept. 12.

Matthew Leach, of MLB.com, reports the St. Louis Cardinals are 16-6 in games that RP Brad Thompson starts.

News: The Cardinals have juggled their rotation to make up for Kyle Lohse's five-game suspension, giving RHP Brad Thompson a start on Friday at Pittsburgh.

Analysis: Thompson will be making his first start since Aug. 15 against the Reds. In that game, Thompson allowed two runs on three hits over five innings and was quite solid. It's too late to get him into this week's rotation in anything but daily Fantasy leagues, however, so wait and see what the Cardinals do next with him before picking him up off the waiver wire

The Cardinals will give Brad Thompson a spot start Friday with Kyle Lohse unavailable this weekend. Joel Pineiro was originally expected to go Friday, but he'll follow Adam Wainwright in the rotation and start Sunday. Lohse won't pitch again until Thursday.Source: Cards Blog Related: Joel Pineiro, Kyle Lohse

Updating a previous item, Arizona Diamondbacks OF Justin Upton (head) was a late scratch from the lineup Tuesday, Sept. 2, because of a headache, according to The Associated Press. He was hit behind the ear Monday, Sept. 1, on a pickoff attempt by St. Louis Cardinals RP Brad Thompson.