Friday Lineup Card: Howard's Return Looms

This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.

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Friday's Starters
Giants (Barry Zito – L) at Pirates (Erik Bedard – L), 7:05
Rays (Alex Cobb – R) at Indians (Justin Masterson – R), 7:05
Braves (Tim Hudson – R) at Phillies (Kyle Kendrick – R), 7:05
Royals (Jonathan Sanchez – L) at Tigers (Drew Smyly – L), 7:05
Rockies (Drew Pomeranz – L) at Nationals (Stephen Strasburg – R), 7:05
Yankees (Hiroki Kuroda – R) at Red Sox (Josh Beckett – R), 7:10
Cubs (Travis Wood – L) at Mets (Johan Santana – L), 7:10
Twins (Francisco Liriano – L) at Rangers (Martin Perez – L), 8:05
Brewers (Yovani Gallardo – R) at Astros (J.A. Happ – L), 8:05
Blue Jays (Aaron Laffey – L) at White Sox (Jake Peavy – R), 8:10
Marlins (Ricky Nolasco – R) at Cardinals (Jake Westbrook – R), 8:15
Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw – L) at Diamondbacks (Josh Collmenter – R), 9:40
Mariners (Kevin Millwood – R) at Athletics (Tom Milone – L), 10:05
Orioles (Miguel Gonzalez – R) at Angels (C.J. Wilson – L), 10:05
Reds (Bronson Arroyo – R) at Padres (Kip Wells – R), 10:05

Day Game After Night Game: None

Injuries

Day-to-Day
Giancarlo Stanton, OF, MIA (knee) – Could need surgery; worrisome
Chris Davis, 3B, BAL (neck) – Could hit the DL; X-rays being taken Friday
Mark Reynolds, 3B, BAL (hand) – Took a pitch to the hand, but doesn't seem major
J.D. Martinez, OF, HOU (leg) – Strained his glute; out a couple days
Jesus Montero, C, SEA (concussion) – Has very minor concussion; DL unlikely
Scott Rolen, 3B, CIN (back) – Likely to avoid DL and could play Friday
Luke Hochevar, SP, KC (ankle) – Left Thursday, but seems like no big deal
Andres Torres, OF, NYM (back) – Out Thursday
Jeff Keppinger, 2B, TB (triceps) – Out of the lineup Thursday; could return this weekend
Brian Duensing, SP, MIN (ankle) – Just a bruise, according to X-rays
Jason Giambi, 1B, COL (back) – Unavailable the last couple games

Disabled List
Matt Kemp, OF, LAD (hamstring) – Two hits in rehab game Wednesday; back immediately post-break
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, BOS (shoulder) – Had scheduled day off Thursday; will play for Triple-A Friday
Roy Halladay, SP, PHI (shoulder) – Will throw a bullpen Saturday; could go on rehab trip over break
Ryan Howard, 1B, PHI (Achilles) – Returning to action Friday
Carl Crawford, OF, BOS (elbow) – Had a couple hits in Wednesday rehab game
Dee Gordon, SS, LAD (thumb) – Will need surgery; out six weeks
Jaime Garcia, SP, STL (shoulder) – Had first throwing session since hitting DL Wednesday
Derek Holland, SP, TEX (shoulder/illness) – Will be activated and start Saturday
Brandon Morrow, SP, TOR (oblique) – Long tossing; seems to be ahead of schedule
Drew Storen, RP, WAS (elbow) – Needed just eight pitches to cruise through his first rehab inning
Jonathan Lucroy, C, MIL (hand) – Progressing; back in two weeks, July 20
Jayson Werth, OF, WAS (wrist) – Will start swinging a bat post-break; out into August
Grady Sizemore, OF, CLE (back) – On track to resume running program later this week
Colby Lewis, SP, TEX (forearm) – Probably won't be back immediately post-break
Matt Joyce, OF, TB (back) – Won't be back 'til after the break
Emilio Bonifacio, OF, MIA (thumb) – Played three innings in rehab game; about a week away
Andrew Cashner, SP, SD (back) – Having an MRI Friday
Ramon Hernandez, C, COL (hand) – Caught five innings Wednesday in Double-A
Joe Saunders, SP, AZ (shoulder) – Will make rehab start Sunday
Nick Markakis, OF, BAL (wrist) – Will play Double-A games this weekend; eyeing post-break return
Koji Uehara, RP, TEX (shoulder) – Felt fine after Wednesday bullpen; should be back after break
Juan Nicasio, SP, COL (knee) – Scratched from simulated game Thursday
Joe Wieland, SP, SD (elbow) – Had a setback and will be shut down, maybe for the year
Rafael Perez, RP, CLE (shoulder) – Throwing third bullpen of week Friday; couple weeks away
Ryan Sweeney, OF, BOS (toe) – Rehab assignment started in Double-A Thursday
Micah Owings, SP, SD (forearm) – Hitting and fielding, but not pitching
Nick Masset, RP, CIN (shoulder) – Had a setback and halted throwing program
Aubrey Huff, 1B, SF (knee) – Soreness bothering him on rehab assignment
Freddy Sanchez, 2B, SF (shoulder/back) – Back surgery; out for the year
Justin De Fratus, RP, PHI (elbow) – A week away from starting rehab trip
Laynce Nix, OF, PHI (calf) – At least a week away from starting rehab assignment

Transactions

Activated from DL
Javy Guerra, RP, LAD

Placed on DL
Dustin Pedroia, 2B, BOS (thumb)
Dan Haren, SP, LAA (back)
Dee Gordon, SS, LAD (thumb)
Jonny Venters, RP, ATL (elbow)
Alex Presley, OF, PIT (concussion, 7-day)

Optioned to Triple-A
Scott Richmond, RP, TOR
Hector Noesi, SP, SEA
Dallas Keuchel, SP, HOU
David Phelps, RP, NYY
Nick Vincent, RP, SD
Jake Arrieta, SP, BAL

Called Up
Sam Dyson, RP, TOR
Luis Avilan, RP, ATL
Carlos Peguero, OF, SEA
Jordy Mercer, SS, PIT
Enerio De Rosario, RP, HOU
Kevin Jepsen, RP, LAA
Joe Mahoney, 1B, BAL
Miles Mikolas, RP, SD

Waiver Claims
Chris Schwinden, RP, NYM (from NYY)

Released
Humberto Quintero, C, KC

Closer Watch

Angels – Ernesto Frieri cleaned up in the ninth Thursday, working around a walk and striking out a batter in yet another scoreless inning, running his streak to 25.1 unblemished innings to start the season. Scott Downs has been working ninth innings here and there, but it looks like this timeshare is about 80 percent Frieri's.

Kansas City – Word is that Jonathan Broxton is on the block, which makes shares of Greg Holland just that much more interesting going forward. There are a host of other guys the Royals could employ, but Holland and Aaron Crow seem the most natural choices. Crow's been blown up a couple times in a row, though, so he'll have to get back in his manager's good graces first before he gets a job. For now, Broxton's cleaning up; he saved his 21st on Thursday.

Pirates – Joel Hanrahan struggled through the ninth Thursday, walking a couple Astros before escaping the jam for his 22nd save. That's three straight iffy outings for Hanrahan – all without a strikeout, suggesting that he may be feeling a bit overworked right now.

Giants – Santiago Casilla blew his fourth save Thursday, allowing two runs (one earned) in the bottom of the ninth to take the loss. He's now blown three out of his last four save chances, and with his lack of prior experience finishing games, don't be surprised if any further struggles result in the ascent of Sergio Romo to the closer's role.

Recommended Pickup
Carlos Peguero, OF, SEA – For the kind of riverboat gambler who wants to invest in the Seattle offense, Peguero certainly offers some intriguing power-hitting upside. Though he hit just .196 in a limited major-league sample last year, Peguero's had a destructive season in Triple-A, smashing 18 homers and OPSing 1.002. At 25, he's teetering toward the edge of what you might call a prospect, but he's got the hit tool the Mariners need and could find his way into the lineup often with some nice early returns.

Other Recent Recommendations: Brett Wallace, Yasmani Grandal, Salvador Perez, Jim Thome, Bobby Parnell

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DraftStreet Lineup

C: Brian McCann, ATL ($5,149)
1B: Adrian Gonzalez, BOS ($6,310)
2B: Robinson Cano, NYY ($9,488)
3B: Kevin Youkilis, CHW ($7,613)
SS: Jose Reyes, MIA ($7,613)
OF: Jason Heyward, ATL ($7,953)
OF: Ben Zobrist, TB ($7,465)
OF: Justin Upton, AZ ($5,387)
UT: Adam Dunn, CWS ($5,849)
UT: Rickie Weeks, MIL ($5,326)
SP: Stephen Strasburg, WAS ($15,923)
SP: Tim Hudson, ATL ($12,044)
RP: Aroldis Chapman, CIN ($2,313)
P: Addison Reed, CWS ($1,961)

Total: 99,969

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