Thursday Lineup Card: Buying Porcello

This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.

Projected Starters - A look at Thursday's matchups (all times Eastern)

Cubs (Edwin Jackson - R) at Pirates (Jeanmar Gomez - R), 12:35
Orioles (Kevin Gausman - R) at Blue Jays (Brandon Morrow - R), 7:07
Twins (Scott Diamond - L) at Tigers (Rick Porcello - R), 7:08
Indians (Zach McAllister - R) at Red Sox (Ryan Dempster - R), 7:10
Angels (Joe Blanton - R) at Royals (Ervin Santana - R), 8:10

Day Game After Night Game: CHC, PIT

Injuries

Day-to-Day
Brandon Belt, 1B, SF (Back) - Held out of the lineup Wednesday due to a tight back.
Rafael Betancourt, P, COL (Groin) - Will avoid a DL stint, despite inflammation in his right groin, and should resume closing duty by Friday.
Matt Dominguez, 3B, HOU (Quadriceps) - Out Wednesday due to a minor quadriceps concern.
David Freese, 3B, STL (Thumb) - Missed his third game in a row Wednesday due to a cut on his right thumb.
Tommy Hanson, P, LAA (Personal) - Unlikely to start Saturday in the Angels' open rotation spot.
Matt Joyce, OF, TB (Hamstring) - Was not in the lineup Wednesday due to a right hamstring strain, though a pinch-hit appearance was a possibility.
Hiroki Kuroda, P, NYY (Calf) - Removed from Wednesday's start in the third inning due to a bruised right calf, though he is expected to make his next nod.
Kyle Lohse, P, MIL (Elbow) - Will miss his scheduled start Saturday but is in line to return to the Brewers' rotation next week.
Jed Lowrie, SS, OAK (Foot) - Has a swollen right foot after getting hit by a pitch Tuesday.
Sean Marshall, P, CIN (Shoulder) - Was not available out of the bullpen Wednesday due to shoulder inflammation.
Bud Norris, P, HOU (Back) - Left Tuesday's start after six scoreless innings due to a stiff back but doesn't expect to miss his upcoming start.
Salvador Perez, C, KC (Hip) - Remained out of the lineup Wednesday due to a deep bruise in his right hip.
Carlos Quentin, OF, SD (Knee) - Missed Wednesday's game after receiving an injection in his left knee.
Chris Sale, P, CHW (Shoulder) - On track to make his start next Tuesday, despite dealing with tendinitis in his left shoulder.
Pablo Sandoval, 3B, SF (Illness) - Out of Wednesday's lineup due to an illness.
Kevin Slowey, P, MIA (Undisclosed) - Left Wednesday's start after five innings due to an undisclosed ailment.
Chris Stewart, C, NYY (Groin) - Did not start for the fourth game in a row Tuesday.
Nick Swisher, OF, CLE (Personal) - Expected to join his teammates in time for Friday's game in Boston.
Chase Utley, 2B, PHI (Oblique) - Missed Wednesday's game and will have an MRI performed on his right oblique Thursday.
Shane Victorino, OF, BOS (Hamstring) - Sat out for a second consecutive game Wednesday, despite improvement with his left hamstring.

Players on the DL
Mike Adams, P, PHI (Back) - Will not return to the Phillies' bullpen before next Tuesday.
Willie Bloomquist, SS, ARI (Oblique) - Beginning a rehab assignment Friday at Triple-A Reno.
Chris Carpenter, P, STL (Shoulder) - May join the Cardinals' rotation in late June or early July.
Adam Eaton, OF, ARI (Elbow) - Visited the team physician Wednesday after feeling additional pain in his left elbow.
Josh Fields, P, HOU (Forearm) - Slated to throw two innings in a rehab outing Thursday.
Logan Forsythe, 2B, SD (Foot) - Playing in an extended spring training game Friday.
Jeff Francis, P, COL (Groin) - Tossed 25 pitches off a mound Tuesday.
Jaime Garcia, P, STL (Shoulder) - Will have season-ending surgery in order to repair a small tear in the labrum of his left shoulder.
Tom Gorzelanny, P, MIL (Shoulder) - Threw 20 pitches Tuesday during a live batting practice session.
Roy Halladay, P, PHI (Shoulder) - Arrived at the Phillies' minor league complex Monday to embark upon his rehab.
Chris Heisey, OF, CIN (Hamstring) - Can currently jog at about 80 percent capacity.
Aaron Hill, 2B, ARI (Hand) - Has a doctor appointment next week, in which his broken left hand will be examined.
Kevin Jepsen, P, LAA (Shoulder) - Expected to be activated from the DL following rehab appearances Wednesday and Friday.
Josh Johnson, P, TOR (Triceps) - Scheduled to make his next rehab start Saturday at Triple-A Buffalo.
John Lannan, P, PHI (Knee) - His left knee feels better, and he'll face live hitters at the Phillies' minor league complex next Wednesday.
Colby Lewis, P, TEX (Forearm) - Slated to toss a bullpen session Thursday, and if he emerges OK, he'll make a rehab start Saturday at Triple-A Round Rock.
Ryan Madson, P, LAA (Elbow) - Shutting down his rehab program indefinitely after feeling soreness in his right arm while throwing.
Nick Masset, P, CIN (Shoulder) - Throwing from 120 feet but remains away from the bullpen until after the All-Star break.
Cameron Maybin, OF, SD (Wrist) - Advancing his rehab assignment to Triple-A Tucson on Friday.
James McDonald, P, PIT (Shoulder) - Felt OK after Tuesday's bullpen session and has another side session scheduled for Friday.
Charlie Morton, P, PIT (Elbow) - Will make two rehab starts Sunday and next Friday, before replacing Jeanmar Gomez in the Pirates' rotation.
Brett Myers, P, CLE (Elbow) - Allowed three runs in 4.1 innings during Wednesday's rehab start, which likely deters an immediate return to the Indians' rotation.
Chris Narveson, P, MIL (Finger) - Threw a successful bullpen session Tuesday.
Ivan Nova, P, NYY (Back) - Threw a light side session Wednesday, after which he felt good.
Eduardo Nunez, SS, NYY (Ribs) - Resumed batting practice Wednesday, after previously being limited to hitting off a tee and via soft toss.
Andy Pettitte, P, NYY (Shoulder) - Will play catch either Thursday or Friday.
Nolan Reimold, OF, BAL (Hamstring) - Not expected to return from the disabled list when eligible next Tuesday.
Clayton Richard, P, SD (Illness) - Made his second rehab start Tuesday and will likely join the Padres' rotation early next week.
Fernando Salas, P, STL (Shoulder) - Scheduled for an MRI on his ailing right shoulder Thursday.
Jered Weaver, P, LAA (Elbow) - Looked fine during an extended spring training outing Wednesday.
Jake Westbrook, P, STL (Elbow) - Ended his 20-pitch throwing session prematurely Wednesday after feeling pain in his right elbow.
Kevin Youkilis, 3B, NYY (Back) - Batted in a simulated game Wednesday.

Transactions - Players who have been demoted, called up, traded, released, you name it. We'll cover it here.

Placed on the DL (15-day DL unless otherwise noted)
Shawn Camp, P, CHC
Darin Mastroianni, OF, MIN (Transferred to 60-day DL)
Trevor Plouffe, 3B, MIN (Placed on 7-day DL)
Fernando Salas, P, STL

Called Up
Chris Colabello, 3B, MIN
Rafael Dolis, P, CHC
Tyler Lyons, P, STL
Ross Wolf, P, TEX

Sent Down (to Triple-A, unless otherwise noted)
Cory Burns, P, TEX
Vance Worley, P, MIN

Closer Watch

Colorado - On Tuesday, Rockies closer Rafael Betancourt was removed during the 10th inning after just two pitches due to a groin injury, which spurred an immediate MRI. After the game, he disclosed that he had been dealing with the ailment since April, and the pain was apparently severe enough to culminate in an abbreviated appearance. Eventually, the MRI revealed mere inflammation around scar tissue in his right groin Wednesday, which is the result of a moderate groin strain that sidelined him for nearly six weeks during the 2009 season. In the end, a DL stint will be avoided, and Betancourt expects to be ready to resume closing duty by Friday's game in San Francisco.

Rick Porcello, P, DET - Porcello's first few outings this season were unassuming, before he blew up in his fourth start on April 20, yielding nine runs in just 0.2 innings. However, he fell just one out short of notching quality starts in each of his four subsequent nods, posting a 2-0 record, 3.24 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 24:5 K:BB ratio in his last 25 frames. The appearances have ranged from 5.2 to 7.0 innings and included three legitimate lineups: Atlanta and Cleveland at home, in addition to a visit to that hitter's paradise, Rangers Ballpark. With a few more performances like this under his belt, Porcello will soon be a must start in most scenarios.

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DraftStreet Lineup

C - Ryan Doumit, MIN ($6,844)
1B - Chris Davis, BAL ($9,802)
2B - Ryan Raburn, CLE ($5,141)
3B - Miguel Cabrera, DET ($13,177)
SS - J.J. Hardy, BAL ($6,831)
OF - Andrew McCutchen, PIT ($9,375)
OF - Adam Jones, BAL ($9,285)
OF - Jeff Francoeur, KC ($5,369)
UTIL - Nick Markakis, BAL ($6,861)
SP - Rick Porcello, DET ($10,405)
SP - Edwin Jackson, CHC ($10,246)
P - Scott Diamond, MIN ($6,170)

Total: $99,506

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