Cardinals righty Jack Flaherty getting second opinion on hurting throwing shoulder

As John Denton explained for the MLB website, St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty didn't throw in Monday's opening workout and then had his hurting right shoulder examined on Tuesday. 

The latest update on the situation isn't promising as it pertains to Flaherty's status for the early days of spring.

Per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), Flaherty will seek a second medical opinion on the shoulder after he underwent imaging tests on Tuesday and, presumably, didn't love whatever he heard after the fact. 

"It would be nice to know what's going on with him and what the plan will be with him moving forward," manager Oliver Marmol told reporters about the 26-year-old on Thursday. "Our hope is we get it here pretty soon."

Flaherty is coming off a season during which he made 17 starts and posted a 9-2 record with a 3.22 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. According to Zachary Silver of the league's website, Flaherty missed over two months of the 2021 campaign due to an oblique strain he initially suffered while pitching but potentially worsened when swinging a bat. FanSided's Mark Powell notes St. Louis could go shopping for assistance if Flaherty is set to miss more than just a handful of starts due to this latest issue. 

The Cardinals open their spring training schedule Friday versus the Houston Astros.