ST. LOUIS - Jake Peavy, the San Diego Padres ace, will miss the rest of the postseason with a fractured rib, team spokesman Luis Garcia said Tuesday after Peavy started in a loss to the Cardinals.
He was injured jumping in a knot of teammates during San Diego's celebration of the West championship.
"The next day I just thought I had some bruised ribs, caught an elbow or something," Peavy said. "I never would have imagined it would have been this."
He figured to be the Padres' best hope of upsetting the Cardinals. Peavy led the NL in strikeouts and was among league leaders in ERA.
Peavy felt pain in the third inning when his spike got caught on the rubber on a bases-loaded wild pitch that didn't even make it to the dirt in front of home plate. The pain worsened after that.
"It's been a little bothersome, but nothing we thought would get in the way," Peavy said. "Trying to turn it up, there were some issues."
Garcia said the rotation for the rest of the series is in limbo. Adam Eaton would likely pitch Game 4, if necessary, and Brian Lawrence would be the likely choice for Game 5.
BRAVES: Dan Kolb started the season as the closer. By playoff time, he wasn't even on the roster.
Kolb, who lost the closer's job in May and pitched poorly the final week of the regular season, was left off the 25-man roster for the series against the Houston Astros that begins today.
The former All-Star was beaten out by a rookie who became the first player to give up grand slams in his first two appearances ( Joey Devine) and a journeyman reliever who was cut by the Giants this season ( Jim Brower).
There was no sign of Kolb in the clubhouse after Tuesday's workout. His jersey hung on the outside of his locker and did not appear to have been worn.
CARDINALS: Jim Edmonds has hit seven homers in division series play, second among NL players to Chipper Jones of the Braves, who has eight.
