St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday, sent to the 15-day disabled list as part-roster-management, part-precautionary-measure after a quadriceps injury just wouldn't go away, is due back from the DL Thursday as the Cardinals look to avoid a sixth straight loss in their series finale against the Washington Nationals. He'll face left-hander John Lannan, if all goes according to plan.
Holliday is off to a dominant, abbreviated start in 2011, hitting .342/.433/.542 with six home runs across 44 games; he was the National League batting champion until time missed due to his appendectomy and his quad injury pushed him off the eligible-players list. He's hitting .318/.399/.534 in 202 games since signing his seven year, $120 million contract with the Cardinals in the 2009 offseason.
Cardinals reliever Eduardo Sanchez, out with a currently ill-defined and definitely worrying shoulder stiffness, could be the odd man out on the Cardinals' 25-man roster if they choose to keep rookie Andrew Brown in Allen Craig's spot. It would only be the latest affront in a Cardinals season marred by injuries to promising and established players alike.