Ty Wigginton/Ian Stewart. We knew it was merely a matter of time until Stewart came back to the major leagues (hitting .361 in AAA), but Wigginton’s strained oblique moved the time-line up just a bit. Jose Lopez may get a start or two while Stewart is in transit, but I expect Stewart will now assume the majority of playing time at the hot corner from here on out.
Jay Gibbons/Marcus Thames. Before the season started, the activation of Gibbons from the D.L. would be a cause for celebration (well, that might be a little overstated). Unfortunately for Gibbons, Jerry Sands is alive and well, though if he continues to struggle, Gibbons could play a larger role.
Allen Craig. Craig is getting the start tonight at third base in place of the injured David Freese. We know that Daniel Descalso and Nick Punto will get some playing time, but Craig could provide the most offensive pop out of the group, and should get a majority of the playing time. Of course, this is Tony LaRussa we are talking about here.
Nyjer Morgan/Carlos Gomez. Well, this situation is a mess. Gomez struggled mightily in this chance to wrest this job away from Morgan, and now Morgan is back in the fold and Gomez is out of the lineup. Both offer speed and defense, and both are complete head cases. Right now, it is tough to predict how the playing time will shake out. Zach Braddock got sent down as the corresponding move.
Wilton Lopez. The Astros activated Lopez from the disabled list on Tuesday, and he will now return to his 7th/8th inning role in the bullpen. Keep an eye on Lopez, as either he or Mark Melancon will wrest the job from Brandon Lyon at some point this season, maybe as soon as tomorrow after Lyon imploded again today.
Orlando Hudson. Hudson went on the disabled list today with a strained hamstring. The Padres called up Logan Forsythe to replace him. He has just a little pop, a little speed, and handles the bat okay; he is striking out at quite a pace in AAA, however, so you could take an average hit in the short term.
Jonathan Broxton/Vicente Padilla. Don Mattingly announced that Broxton has been shut down with elbow pain. We heard rumors of this last week. While Hong-Chih Kuo would be the preferable option for saves, he is apparently not quite 100%. Padilla will get the saves in the short term. Funny side note: they cannot find an MRI machine large enough to fit Broxton, which has delayed his MRI. Good stuff.
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