ST. LOUIS -- Brett Anderson pitched effectively for five innings of the Brewers¡¯ 4-3 loss to the Cardinals on Thursday, begging this question on behalf of the veteran left-hander: What¡¯s next?

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Whether Anderson is part of a 26-man roster for the National League Division Series remains to be seen, considering the Brewers have six healthy starters if you count Anderson. With a 61-pitch outing against the Cardinals during which he allowed two runs and three hits in five innings and departed with a lead, the 33-year-old is now two outings removed from a stint on the injured list for a line drive off his pitching shoulder at the start of this month in San Francisco.

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Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta are obviously in the rotation for a best-of-five NLDS against the NL East winner, and Milwaukee could hold either right-hander Adrian Houser or left-hander Eric Lauer to start a potential Game 4, with the other pitching out of the bullpen when needed. So, Anderson¡¯s best opportunity might be in relief, though he has pitched out of the bullpen only 13 times in 223 Major League appearances, including a relief appearance in Game 4 of the 2013 ALDS for Oakland against Detroit.

If Anderson doesn¡¯t crack the NLDS roster, he would remain with the team and stay ready as a potential injury replacement, or to see whether his fortunes change should the Brewers advance to a best-of-seven NL Championship Series in which the team might consider carrying more pitching.

If you assumed all of that uncertainty might be a bother, think again.

¡°It¡¯s a good problem to have, five really good starters and whatever I am,¡± Anderson quipped.

He wasn¡¯t finished.

¡°We¡¯ve got a bunch of starters who¡¯ve pitched better than I have recently,¡± said Anderson, who has a 4.26 ERA in 95 innings this season while dodging a series of injuries. ¡°So, I¡¯ll stay ready for whatever the need be. We¡¯ll see what happens. Hopefully, nothing crazy happens like with Devin [Williams]. You never really anticipate anything like that happening.

¡°We have a good surplus of starters. Maybe if [an opposing starter] throws hard left-handed, I can pitch at 55 feet and throw live BP or something. I¡¯ll keep throwing and stay ready and we¡¯ll see what happens.¡±

Anderson, a free agent once again following this season, is not the only Brewers pitcher awaiting word on a postseason role. Houser and Lauer have each said this week that they are ready for whatever they are called upon to do.

¡°The rotation always shortens up and you ride your horses out a little bit longer,¡± said Lauer, who will carry a 2.93 ERA in 113 2/3 innings into his final regular-season start on Friday night at the Dodgers. ¡°I¡¯m not 100 percent sure what it¡¯s going to be. I might start a game, I might come out of the 'pen. I¡¯m ready for all hands on deck.¡±

As of Thursday afternoon, the Brewers¡¯ likely opponent was the Braves, who went into the day with a magic number of one to clinch the NL East. The Braves are a predominantly right-handed-hitting club -- perennial MVP Award candidate Freddie Freeman notwithstanding -- with relatively balanced splits; they entered Thursday with a .761 OPS against left-handed pitching and .734 against right-handed pitching.

¡°I¡¯ll just wait and see where I fit in,¡± said Houser, who lowered his ERA to 3.22 with five scoreless innings in his final regular-season start on Wednesday. ¡°We¡¯re out-getters. We¡¯re going to be ready.¡±

The Brewers have three regular-season games to get things lined up the way they like. Lauer and Burnes are slated to start the first two nights at Dodger Stadium, and Sunday¡¯s regular-season finale remains open. After giving Kolten Wong and Avisaíl García multiple days of rest after the Cardinals clinched their postseason spot on Friday, Counsell said the Brewers will field a rather standard lineup on Friday in L.A. as the Dodgers are still playing for the NL West title.

That will help Milwaukee keep its edge, said Counsell, who is ¡°glad¡± his team is finishing against a club with something to play for.

¡°There's nothing to change for our season, and I think there's a natural letdown to that,¡± he said. ¡°You compete and want to get hits and get guys out, but at the same time, you're looking forward a little bit. A series like this lets us focus on the moment and focus on the now.¡±