Tomo Ohka picked up by Cardinals

Pitcher Tomo Ohka resurfaced Tuesday with the St. Louis Cardinals, one day after being released by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Ohka, 31, inked a minor-league contract with the injury-riddled Cardinals, who have been trying to find suitable replacements for ailing pitchers Chris Carpenter, Braden Looper and Mark Mulder.

Ohka will start Wednesday for the Memphis Redbirds of the triple-A Pacific Coast League in what will be an audition of sorts.

"I think it is a smart move to get him into our organization and see what he has got, but there are no guarantees," Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa said. "It depends on how he pitches."

Ohka posted a 2-5 record with a 5.79 earned-run average in 10 starts for Toronto, who signed him Jan. 25 for $1.5 million US.

The veteran right-hander was raked for 68 hits over 56 innings, including 10 home runs, with 22 walks and just 21 strikeouts.

Ohka is 50-63 lifetime with a 4.13 ERA, five complete games and one shutout in 184 appearances (172 starts) over nine MLB seasonsfor the Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers and Blue Jays.

His finest campaign came in 2002, when he went 13-8 with a 3.18 ERA in 32 appearances for Montreal.