A.J. Pierzynski starts for Cardinals in NLCS Game 3 with Yadier Molina ailing

SAN FRANCISCO — It’s not a huge surprise that Yadier Molina isn’t the starting catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. Molina’s strained left oblique has his postseason in question, even though Cardinals manager Mike Matheny hasn’t officially ruled Molina out, instead calling his status “day to day.”

Molina’s replacement in the starting lineup Tuesday, however, is ripe with storylines. A.J. Pierzynski, the well-traveled lightning rod of a backstop, will catch for the Cardinals and bat sixth.  The Cardinals signed him when Molina hurt his thumb in July, two weeks after being released by the Boston Red Sox.

It’s Pierzynski, 37, matched up with Game 3 Cardinals starter John Lackey, both of whom started the season as Red Sox. “A.J. and I are good,” Lackey said Monday. “I threw to him a bunch in Boston this year.”

It’s Pierzynski against the Giants, for whom he played in 2004. He didn’t leave on good terms, being anonymously called a “clubhouse cancer” by teammates.

It’s Pierzynksi against Giants starter Tim Hudson. The two of them had a beef back when the latter caught for the Twins and the former pitched for A’s.

It’s Pierzynksi playing at AT&T Park, where Giants fans — surprise, surprise — don’t care for him.

“I know he’s looking forward to his warm reception in San Francisco,” Matheny quipped Monday.

Pierzynski has hit Hudson pretty well in his career, with five hits in 18 at-bats. That’s a .278 batting average to go along with three RBIs.

There might reason, however, to anticipate rust. Pierzynski hasn’t started behind the plate since Sept. 11 for the Cardinals. He had just four more regular season at-bats after that and is 0-for-1 this postseason.

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Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz