When teams get eliminated from playoff contention, it’s often time to start bringing on young players. For St. Louis City SC, they may not have a choice at some spots.

Defensive midfielder Chris Durkin and center back Henry Kessler were both absent from practice as City SC returned to work following its loss to Minnesota that all but officially knocked it out of playoff contention. Both left the Minnesota game at the half, Durkin with a knee injury and Kessler because he was in the concussion protocol.

Interim coach John Hackworth stressed that he wasn’t saying Durkin was out for this Saturday, when City SC plays at last-place San Jose, but considering the team’s situation, there’s no need to rush him back.

“He’s hurting right now,” Hackworth said, “and hopefully we will get him back in time, but his body’s got to heal up. Thank goodness there’s nothing really terribly wrong with him. He went through an MRI yesterday and got an X-ray too. So our medical staff did a fantastic job, and he has a very inflamed knee right now. So that’s another one of those things. He’s so important to what we do, and you take Durkin off the field, and it changes us, so then other guys will have to step up. But you also want to be protective about Durkin and his future because there’s no sense in putting him in harm’s way for nothing.”