When his plane touched down in Nashville, Tenn., on Thursday afternoon, Cardinals reliever Zach Duke was more than just returning home for a weekend. He was one step away from his return to the majors.
Nine months after surgery to rebuild the ligament in his left elbow, Duke will join Class AAA Memphis in Nashville to continue his rehab. It’s possible he could return to the major-league bullpen before the end of the month, and that he could contribute at least two months of work for the Cardinals less than a year after they weren’t sure if he would give them a day this season.