Thursday Lineup Card: Return of Youk?

This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.

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

Royals (Jeff Francis – L) at Orioles (Jeremy Guthrie – R), 12:35
Reds (Homer Bailey – R) at Phillies (Cliff Lee – L), 1:05
Red Sox (Alfredo Aceves – R) at Tigers (Max Scherzer – R), 1:05
Mets (R.A. Dickey – R) at Cubs (Carlos Zambrano – R), 2:20
Athletics (Brett Anderson – L) at Angels (Joel Pineiro – R), 3:35
Marlins (Anibal Sanchez – R) at Giants (Ryan Vogelsong – R), 3:45
White Sox (Phil Humber – R) at Blue Jays (Brandon Morrow – R), 7:07
Diamondbacks (Micah Owings – R) at Rockies (Clayton Mortensen – R), 8:40

Day After Night: FLA, SF, OAK, LAA, NYM, CHC, KC, BAL, CIN, PHI

Injuries - A brief look at players that have been missing time with minor ailments and their expected returns.

Day-to-Day (includes players expected to make their return from the DL)

NL
Jason Giambi, 1B, COL (elbow) – Still on a tear, so not that bothered by HBP on funny bone
Nyjer Morgan, OF, MIL (finger) – Expected to be activated Friday
Rod Barajas, C, LAD (wrist) – Out Wednesday
Andre Ethier, OF, LAD (soreness) – Off Wednesday, likely back Friday
Jason Bay, OF, NYM (calf) – In Wednesday's lineup
Laynce Nix, OF, WAS (foot) – Back in the lineup Wednesday
Ross Gload, 1B, PHI (hip) – Was unavailable Tuesday
Tim Hudson, SP, ATL (back) – On track for Monday start
Darren Ford, OF, SF (ankle) – Wasn't available Tuesday
Aaron Rowand, OF, SF (back) – Sat Tuesday
Randy Wells, SP, CHC (forearm) – Will be activated and start Saturday

AL
Kevin Youkilis, 1B, BOS (hand) – Sore, but no X-rays slated
Michael Cuddyer, OF, MIN (hip) – Available off the bench Wednesday
Matt Capps, RP, MIN (forearm) – Unavailable Wednesday
J.D. Drew, OF, BOS (hamstring) – Out Wednesday
Endy Chavez, OF, TEX (hamstring) – Hopes to be back Friday
Howie Kendrick, 2B, LAA (hamstring) – Probably will avoid DL, but still out
Grady Sizemore, OF, CLE (knee) – Expected back Friday

Players on the DL

NL
Brandon Lyon, RP, HOU (shoulder) – Throwing from flat ground; no timetable yet, but it's coming
Erick Almonte, 3B, MIL (concussion) – Headed to extended ST
Casey Blake, 3B, LAD (elbow) – Rejoining team for Friday/Saturday activation
Ike Davis, 1B, NYM (ankle) – Likely will remain out into June
David Wright, 3B, NYM (back) – No setbacks at this point, but he's still resting
Johan Santana, SP, NYM (shoulder) – Threw 25 pitches off the rubber Monday, but no timetable yet
Matt Garza, SP, CHC (elbow) – Just a bruise, so June 3 minimum-time return likely
Nick Hundley, C, SD (oblique) – Getting closer to returning
Pablo Sandoval, 3B, SF (hand) – Hit off a tee Tuesday
Jorge De La Rosa, SP, COL (elbow) – Tommy John surgery coming up
Adam LaRoche, 1B, WAS (shoulder) – Large labrum tear and rotator cuff tearing; could be long-term
Barry Zito, SP, SF (foot) – Almost ready for extended ST
Brad Lidge, RP, PHI (shoulder) – A few bullpens away from extended ST
Josh Johnson, SP, FLA (shoulder) – Said he might throw Wednesday; feeling better
Shane Victorino, OF, PHI (hamstring) – Taking BP and doing drills; back in early June
Angel Pagan, OF, NYM (oblique) – Played rehab game Tuesday; could be back by the weekend

AL
Joe Mauer, C, MIN (leg) – Played DH in extended ST game
Jesse Litsch, SP, TOR (shoulder) – Will be examined later this week by orthopedic surgeon
Phil Coke, SP, DET (ankle) – Will miss at least two starts, but will remain a starter
Scott Kazmir, SP, LAA (back) – Bombed in first rehab start
Jesse Carlson, RP, TOR (shoulder) – Seeing Dr. Andrews
Elliot Johnson, 2B, TB (knee) – Placed on DL with sprain
Andrew Bailey, RP, OAK (forearm) – Another rehab appearance Wednesday
Bobby Jenks, RP, BOS (arm) – Will need more bullpens plus rehab stint before returning
John Lackey, SP, BOS (elbow) – Could return for June 5 start
Cesar Izturis, SS, BAL (elbow) – Successful surgery to move nerve; could still be back late this year
Tsuyoshi Nishioka, 2B, MIN (leg) – Playing in extended ST Friday
Tommy Hunter, SP, TEX (groin) – Played catch Tuesday and felt fine
Brandon Webb, SP, TEX (shoulder) – Threw six innings in extended ST Tuesday
Julio Borbon, OF, TEX (hamstring) – Won't test it 'til Friday at earliest
Jose Mijares, RP, MIN (elbow) – Had problem-free bullpen Tuesday
Rafael Soriano, RP, NYY (elbow) – Won't face hitters for 6-8 weeks
Philip Hughes, SP, NYY (shoulder) – Throwing, but not off a mound – moved to 60-day DL
Kevin Slowey, SP, MIN (abdomen) – Placed on DL; should be minimum time if the Twins want him back

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

Called Up
Mike Minor, SP, ATL
Zach Kroenke, RP, ARI

Sent Down
Jairo Asencio, RP, ATL
Josh Judy, RP, CLE

Placed on DL
Elliot Johnson, 2B, TB
Juan Gutierrez, RP, ARI
Kevin Slowey, RP, MIN (retro to 5/21)

Activated from DL
Mitch Talbot, SP, CLE
Reid Brignac, SS, TB (from bereavement)

Claimed
Jay Buente, SP, TB (from Marlins)
Kanekoa Texeira, RP, NYY (from Royals)
Josh Wilson, SS, MIL (from Diamondbacks)

Closer Watch

Minnesota – Matt Capps is hurting and ineffective; Joe Nathan is plain old ineffective. Really, no one in their bullpen has pitched well, so maybe Nathan gets the job back by default while Capps' forearm is bothering him.

Milwaukee – Kameron Loe got the save on Wednesday, his first of the year, going 1.1 perfect innings with a strikeout, but it doesn't seem as though he's a threat to John Axford, who was simply unavailable after having pitched four of the last five days.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Closing candidate Matt Guerrier surrendered J.R. Towles' walk-off hit on Wednesday, and his 1.46 WHIP doesn't lend itself too well to closing. Meanwhile, Kenley Jansen just got blown up on Monday and has just one save to his credit thus far. Perhaps Mike MacDougal will emerge as the guy here – he allowed a couple baserunners, but no runs Wednesday, and has a 1.50 ERA (though a 1.33 WHIP) as well as some closing experience.

Kansas City – Joakim Soria finally got his ERA back into the threes, then got tagged for three runs and a blown save Tuesday in Baltimore. With nearly as many walks (10) as strikeouts (13), a 5.13 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP, how long until he starts feeling threatened by, say, Aaron Crow?

White Sox – Matt Thornton has picked up a couple saves recently, but it was Sergio Santos back out to finish it off Tuesday, cleaning up Thornton's eighth-inning mess and shutting the door in the ninth.

St. Louis – Welcome back, Eduardo Sanchez. He blew it on Sunday, but he came back out on Tuesday and finished off the Padres for save No. 5. He's got the stuff, but don't be surprised if Fernando Salas or Trever Miller or Jason Motte – or all of the above – interfere at some point.

Mike Minor, SP, ATL – Don't dismiss Minor based on his one bad start or his uncertain rotation spot; the guy put up a 43:11 K:BB in 40.2 innings in the majors last year – though hittability led to bad ERA and WHIP – and he's ripping through Triple-A again this year, striking out more than a batter per inning and posting a shiny 2.73 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He's been guaranteed at least two starts, so there's potential value to be found here while Tim Hudson and Brandon Beachy are hurting at the very least.

Other recent recommendations:Josh Outman, Chris Denorfia, Brendan Ryan, Juan Rivera, Allen Craig

Draft Street Lineup

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C – Miguel Montero, ARI ($5,941)
1B – Todd Helton, COL ($6,995)
2B – Brandon Phillips, CIN ($8,007)
3B – Scott Rolen, CIN ($7,343)
SS – Stephen Drew, ARI ($6,879)
OF – Justin Upton, ARI ($7,751
OF – Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS ($7,817)
OF – Adam Jones, BAL ($6,805)
UT – Carlos Pena, CHC ($5,062)
UT – Melky Cabrera, KC ($7,108)
SP – Brett Anderson, OAK ($10,419)
SP – Carlos Zambrano, CHC ($7,510)
RP – Huston Street, COL ($2,342)
P – Ryan Vogelsong, SF ($9,986)

Total: $99,965

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