ST. LOUIS (AP) – Left-hander Rick Ankiel will spend September with the St. Louis Cardinals, but he won’t be activated.

“We feel he’s accomplished what he needs to do this year,” general manager Walt Jocketty said Wednesday night. “He’s going to spend some time here in the major-league environment, then go to the Instructional League.”

Jocketty said Ankiel, 22, will join the team this weekend in Los Angeles. Ankiel will suit up and throw occasionally on the side during the final month.

The Cardinals don’t want to use Ankiel for fear the positive strides he’s made since being demoted could be negated by bad outings.

Ankiel struck out 10 in 5 2-3 innings Sunday in his last start for Johnson City, Tenn. He’s been with Johnson City since June 19, after failing to get out of the first inning in his last two starts at Triple-A Memphis.

Ankiel was 5-3 with a 1.33 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 87 2-3 innings at Johnson City. In 14 starts he walked 18, hit six batters and gave up one home run.

He also batted .277 as a designated hitter with 10 homers and 35 RBIs.

Ankiel was 1-2 with a 7.13 ERA and 24 walks in 25 innings with the Cardinals before being demoted May 11.

Ankiel was one of the top rookie pitchers in the majors last year before blowing up in the playoffs, throwing nine wild pitches in four innings. He was 11-7 with a team-leading 3.50 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 175 innings in 2000.

Jocketty said the team would add “just a few” minor league players when rosters can be expanded Saturday.