Chris Carpenter wasn't supposed to pitch again considering the right-handed starter underwent season-ending surgery in mid-July, but the St. Louis Cardinals ace decided that diagnosis didn't matter. In fact, Carpenter is slated to start Friday afternoon's game for the Cardinals against the Chicago Cubs.

Carpenter has missed the majority of the season after experiencing numbness in his shoulder during spring training and then having surgery in July for thoracic outlet syndrome, but the Cardinals pitcher has decided that he's now healthy enough to try and help St. Louis make the playoffs.

The Cubs don't have much to play for considering their 58-92 record has rendered them out of the playoffs for quite awhile, but they could attempt to play the spoiler role considering the Cardinals are trying to hold off the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card race.

Chris Volstad, by the way, is starting for the Cubs as he attempts to better the 4.76 ERA he's posted in nine starts since returning to the team in August.

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