Tampa Bay Rays (28-18 http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , second in the AL East) vs. al)Cleveland; Thursday, 6 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: TBD Indians: Adam Plutko (1-0, 1.50 ERA, .50 WHIP, 4 strikeouts)Article continues below ...LINE: Indians favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: Cleveland enters the game as losers of their last three games.The Indians are 14-11 on their home turf. Cleveland has a collective batting average of .224 this season, led by Francisco Lindor with an average of .296.The Rays are 15-7 on the road. The Tampa Bay offense has compiled a .253 batting average as a team this season, good for tenth in the American League. Austin Meadows leads the team with a mark of .323. This is the first game between these teams in 2019.TOP PERFORMERS: Carlos Santana leads the Indians with eight home runs and is slugging .491. Jason Kipnis is 9-for-36 with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs over the last 10 games for Cleveland.Brandon Lowe leads the Rays with 10 home runs home runs and is slugging .557. Ji-Man Choi has 10 hits and is batting .000 over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.LAST 10 GAMES: Indians: 5-5, .231 batting average, 3.84 ERA, outscored opponents by 15 runsRays: 6-4, .244 batting average, 2.84 ERA, outscored opponents by seven runsIndians Injuries: Danny Salazar: 60-day IL (shoulder), Corey Kluber: 10-day IL (arm), Mike Clevinger: 60-day IL (back), Bradley Zimmer: 10-day IL (shoulder) Kyle Hendricks Jersey , Tyler Naquin: 10-day IL (knee), Roberto Perez: day-to-day (head).Rays Injuries: Tyler Glasnow: 10-day IL (forearm), Jose De Leon: 60-day IL (elbow), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Joey Wendle: 10-day IL (wrist), Matt Duffy: 60-day IL (back), Yandy Diaz: day-to-day (left hand contusion), Mike Zunino: 10-day IL (quad), Michael Perez: 10-day IL (oblique), Anthony Bemboom: 10-day IL (knee). Could the answer be within the farm system?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Chicago Cubs recapsChicago Cubs minor leaguesChicago Cubs essaysChicago Cubs game threadsWrigley Field renovationsFull archiveLibrary Bleed Cubbie Blue Community GuidelinesCurrent time in ChicagoBCB Specials & Site InfoWinter 2019 music threadsCubs StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Cubs newsYahoo Cubs team pageYahoo Cubs reportYahoo Cubs depth chartYahoo Cubs transactionsYahoo Cubs photosOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁旵hicago Cubs minor leaguesChicago Cubs essaysIf Jon Lester can’t make his next start, who could take his spot?New,52commentsCould the answer be within the farm system?CDTShareTweetShareShareIf Jon Lester can’t make his next start, who could take his spot?Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY SportsOn Monday, Jon Lester left his start with a hamstring injury. He might, or might not, be good to go for his next scheduled start. If he isn’t good to go, someone from the minor league system will be asked to fill in, as a starting pitcher or a reliever. The two players assumed to fill in for injured pitchers would have been Tyler Chatwood or the currently injured Mike Montgomery. This is a look at other available options.The first look is at pitchers on the 40-man roster Mike Montgomery Jersey , but not on the current 25-man roster. Those would be Adbert Alzolay, Tim Collins, Carl Edwards Jr., Dillon Maples, Alec Mills, James Norwood, Justin Steele, Duane Underwood Jr. and Rowan Wick. As of Monday at 5 p.m CT, neither Alzolay nor Mills has yet pitched in a minor league game this season. Steele has started a game at Double-A, but likely isn’t ready for MLB duty. Here are thumbnails of the others.Collins is a MLB veteran lefty reliever. He has a bit of the Allen Webster scenario in that he’d need to clear waivers to be returned to Iowa. Assess that as you will.Edwards is a reasonably well-known quantity.Maples now is still a bit similar to Maples in 2018, or in spring training.Norwood has pitched well in Iowa in relief so far, as has Wick.Underwood pitched the second game of the I-Cubs season, throwing 3鈪?innings and surrendering four runs and hits.***The Iowa Cubs rotation is currently (in order of use) Duncan Robinson, Underwood, Matt Swarmer, Colin Rea, and Trevor Clifton, the latter of whom started on Monday night. Rea has MLB experience http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , and has MLB option seasons remaining. If forced to guess which minor league starting pitcher would get the call, for me it would be Rea. This is the purpose of adding players like Rea to minor league deals. Adding Rea, Robinson, Swarmer, or Clifton would require another roster move, as none is currently on the 40-man roster.The Cubs could decide to use Chatwood as a one-off starter. Either way, I’d expect a roster move promptly, to allow leeway until Lester’s spot comes up in the rotation. As needed, Rea (or anyone else) could be added on the needed day.Which player gets designated for assignment? I recuse myself on that one. As much as people in spring training mock the triviality of a 40-man move, the Cubs are realistically looking at potentially parting ways with three players on the 40-man roster. At some point, someone dispatched might have been worth keeping for the future.A Triple-A rotation is often built around MLB readiness. The Cubs aren’t there yet, but at least the options in Iowa are all potential back-end starters.Who should the Cubs add? Who should they subtract from the 40? My hunch would be Wick or Norwood until Lester is due, and then Rea. Now, it’s your turn to decide.