Jason Isringhausen no longer experiences lower-back pain from a herniated disc, but he still feels residual numbness in his right leg.

Isringhausen, who last pitched for the Mets on Sept. 6, nonetheless hopes to throw a bullpen session during the three-game series in St. Louis. He hopes to return to game action during the season-ending homestand, although there is no guarantee.

“That’s my plan, but we’ll see what the doctors say,” Isringhausen said. “The back doesn’t bother me. It’s my calf and my foot are numb, but it’s getting better each day. And I don’t know if I try to push it, what it’s going to do. I don’t know. I need to talk to the doctors. I’m sure I’ll see the team doctor for the Cardinals today, too.”

Isringhausen does not believe any offseason surgery will be required.

“Maybe another shot or something like that, but that would be it,” he said.

Regardless, Isringhausen maintains committed to pitching in the majors again in 2012.

“Oh yeah, I’m still going to play … somewhere,” he said.

Isringhausen’s lament is that it would have meant a lot to pitch uninterrupted the whole year to prove he is durable enough to handle a major league season at 38.

“But in the same sense, maybe it’s somebody telling me it was time to slow down,” he said. “Everything happens for a reason. I’m still happy the way things ended up.”