Cards to reveal rotation after acquisitions arrive

SAN DIEGO -- The Cardinals expect to welcome starters Justin Masterson and John Lackey at Busch Stadium on Friday, at which time the organization will announce its rotation order for the homestand.

Before the organization landed Lackey in a Thursday deal with the Red Sox, the Cardinals planned to send Adam Wainwright, Masterson and Lance Lynn to the mound in the team's upcoming three games against Milwaukee. Wainwright will still start Friday, but St. Louis does have the flexibility to alter its plans after that.

Lackey last pitched on Saturday, meaning he'd be available to take the mound as soon as the Cardinals need him to. If St. Louis opts to just slot him into Joe Kelly's former rotation spot, that would put Lackey in line to start the Cardinals' series opener against the Red Sox on Tuesday. It's possible that Kelly and Lackey could actually oppose each other that night at Busch Stadium.

"I'm not concerned about it," manager Mike Matheny said of that potential schedule quirk. "I think [Lackey] would be fine with that if that's the case."