Thursday Lineup Card: Take a Tango with Cashner

This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.

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

Padres (Ian Kennedy - R) at Pirates (Gerrit Cole - R), 12:35
Mariners (James Paxton - L) at Tigers (Doug Fister - R), 1:08
Giants (Madison Bumgarner - L) at Mets (Jon Niese - L), 1:10
Cubs (Jake Arrieta - R) at Brewers (Kyle Lohse - R), 2:10
Cardinals (Michael Wacha - R) at Rockies (Roy Oswalt - R), 3:10
Dodgers (Ricky Nolasco - R) at Diamondbacks (Wade Miley - L), 3:40
Astros (Dallas Keuchel - L) at Indians (Ubaldo Jimenez - R), 7:05
Marlins (Henderson Alvarez - R) at Nationals (Stephen Strasburg - R), 7:05
Yankees (Hiroki Kuroda - R) at Blue Jays (Todd Redmond - R), 7:07
Orioles (Chris Tillman - R) at Red Sox (John Lackey - R), 7:10
Rangers (Yu Darvish - R) at Rays (Matt Moore - L), 7:10
Twins (Kevin Correia - R) at Athletics (Dan Straily - R), 10:05

Day Game After Night Game: SD, PIT, SEA, DET, SF, NYM, CHC, MIL, STL, COL, LAD, ARI

Injuries

Day-to-Day
Matt Adams, 1B, STL (Elbow) - Removed from Wednesday's outing due to a sore right elbow.
Jeremy Affeldt, P, SF (Groin) - Likely finished for the remainder of the 2013 campaign, as he felt lingering groin discomfort in his sole appearance following activation from the DL last Thursday.
Yonder Alonso, 1B, SD (Hand) - Conceded Tuesday that he may not play again this season, after feeling pain in his right hand during Monday's session in the batting cage.
Nolan Arenado, 2B, COL (Thumb) - Sat out Wednesday for the third time in four games, after aggravating his right thumb contusion Monday.
Kyle Blanks, OF, SD (Illness) - Held out of Wednesday's lineup due to an illness that forced him out of action Tuesday.
Chris Capuano, P, LAD (Groin) - Received a PRP injection recently and will pitch out of the bullpen, if he's able to return before the season comes to an end.
Michael Cuddyer, OF, COL (Forearm) - Injured his arm Wednesday on a diving attempt in right field, thus precipitating his removal from the game due to a right forearm contusion.
Travis d'Arnaud, C, NYM (Shoulder) - Out of the lineup Wednesday following Tuesday's foul tip off his shoulder.
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, BOS (Foot) - Has no timetable for a return but is confident that he'll be in the lineup before season's end.
Andre Ethier, OF, LAD (Ankle) - Missed his fifth consecutive start Wednesday due to a bum ankle.
Logan Forsythe, 2B, SD (Foot) - Remained out of the lineup Wednesday, as he has been sidelined with plantar fasciitis since September 3.
Dexter Fowler, OF, COL (Knee) - At least a couple days away from entering the starting lineup.
Avisail Garcia, OF, CHW (Personal) - Not in the lineup Wednesday due to the birth of his child.
Joe Kelly, P, STL (Calf) - Left Tuesday's start after five innings as a result of a tight upper right calf.
Kyle Kendrick, P, PHI (Shoulder) - Had an MRI performed on his right shoulder, which revealed rotator cuff tendinitis and some minor fraying.
Boone Logan, P, NYY (Elbow) - Diagnosed with a bone spur in his elbow by Dr. James Andrews, which may require offseason surgery.
Justin Masterson, P, CLE (Oblique) - Long tossed from 120 feet Wednesday, followed by an "aggressive flat-ground" bullpen session, from which he emerged unscathed.
Brad Miller, SS, SEA (Hamstring) - Stayed out of the lineup Wednesday for a fourth game in a row due to a mild left hamstring strain.
Donnie Murphy, 3B, CHC (Wrist) - Considered day-to-day as a result of left wrist discomfort.
Bud Norris, P, BAL (Elbow) - Emerged from a side session Tuesday with positive results and may start as soon as Saturday.
Jacob Petricka, P, CHW (Wrist) - Left Tuesday's game when his left wrist was pegged by a line drive.
Bruce Rondon, P, DET (Elbow) - Threw long toss from 120 feet Wednesday but remains many days away from taking the mound in a game.
Sandy Rosario, P, SF (Hip) - Removed from Tuesday's game in the ninth inning due to a hip concern.
Wilin Rosario, C, COL (Calf) - Expected to miss a few outings, after leaving Tuesday's contest with an injured calf.
Marco Scutaro, 2B, SF (Back/Finger) - Enduring inflammation in his finger and will be evaluated Friday.
Jean Segura, SS, MIL (Hamstring) - Left Wednesday's contest due to a hamstring strain.
Andrelton Simmons, SS, ATL (Neck) - Kept out of the lineup Wednesday in order to rest his sore neck.
Stephen Strasburg, P, WAS (Forearm) - His scheduled start Thursday will be pushed back to Saturday, as he had difficulty loosening up Wednesday.
Ruben Tejada, SS, NYM (Leg) - Diagnosed with a fractured fibula and is out for the rest of the season.
Shane Victorino, OF, BOS (Thumb) - Jammed his right thumb Wednesday and was promptly taken out of the game.

Players on the DL
Jesse Crain, P, TB (Shoulder) - Will have his activation from the DL moved back a few days.
Ross Detwiler, P, WAS (Back) - Slated to pitch in an instructional league tilt next Monday.
Jose Dominguez, P, LAD (Quadriceps) - Tossed a bullpen session Tuesday, but it's unclear if he'll return to the majors before the season concludes.
Octavio Dotel, P, DET (Elbow) - Had a PRP injection recently and is aiming to pitch during the 2014 season.
Jason Heyward, OF, ATL (Jaw) - A strong possibility that he'll return to the lineup by next Monday.

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

Placed on the DL
Brandon Guyer, OF, TB (Transferred to 60-day DL)

Called Up (from Triple-A, unless otherwise noted)
Tim Beckham, SS, TB
Chris Dwyer, P, KC
Irving Falu, 3B, KC
Freddy Guzman, OF, TB (Contract selected)

Closer Watch

Giants - The signs of an implosion have accompanied closer Sergio Romo since he took a loss on September 10. Including that performance, he posted a savory 2.08 ERA and four strikeouts in 4.1 innings, yet his 2.077 WHIP across four appearances communicated a more telling picture: he permitted at least two baserunners in each outing but luckily emerged unharmed in three consecutive contests. However, his fate took a turn for the worse Wednesday, when he was staked a 4-1 lead with two Mets on base and one out in the ninth inning. In a matter of 25 pitches, he gave up (in order) a run-scoring double, an RBI single, and a walk, before locking down his first out of the game. Nevertheless, yet another single soon plated the winning runs, as he gathered his fifth blown save and eighth defeat among 61 appearances in 2013.

Andrew Cashner, P, SD - The 27-year-old right-hander truly emerged as a building block of the Padres' rotation in the second half, failing to notch a quality start just once in 10 attempts. During that span, Cashner posted a modest 5-3 record, which he supplemented with a 2.36 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 7.08 K/9IP across 68.2 innings. The run culminated Monday in Pittsburgh with perhaps the paramount start to date of his career, when he emerged with his first shutout, a one-hitter with a 7:0 K:BB ratio. His upcoming nod Sunday versus the Dodgers is quite favorable as well, as his two starts against the resurgent squad this year have gone swimmingly - in a combined 15 frames, he's yielded two runs on 15 hits and four walks to go with nine punchouts. A lack of run support from San Diego's injury-ravaged lineup make the prospect of a victory somewhat fleeting, but his peripherals forecast nicely in the majority of formats.

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