Lowrie starts at DH with sore right knee

OAKLAND -- Jed Lowrie batted second in the A's lineup on Thursday, but as the team's designated hitter rather than as a middle infielder.

Lowrie's right knee remains sore after it was struck by a misfired pickoff attempt in Tuesday night's game. He's expected to play in the field Friday against Cleveland.

Coco Crisp, meanwhile, continues to recover from an ailing left wrist that he injured while diving in center field in Toronto. He received a cortisone shot on Tuesday night, which A's manager Bob Melvin said may allow him to play Friday.

"Whenever you get an injection like that, it's probably a minimum of two days," Melvin said. "Two days might be the timetable for that. Hopefully that's the case, and if we have to give him another day tomorrow, we'll do that."