Cardinals manager Mike Matheny returned to the club Thursday after undergoing back surgery Monday in St. Louis.
Matheny was suffering from severe pain for several days, stemming from a ruptured disk in his back that caused particles to come into contact with a nerve. Surgeons found and removed four particles during a procedure.
"It was something, as much as I was going to try to put it off, it would not have gotten better on its own," Matheny said. "It had to be taken care of.
"I was impressed with how much better I felt right away. I still have a long way to go but definitely better."