Tim Lincecum will be in the NLDS rotation

Tim Lincecum has stunk on ice for most of the year, but despite another shaky start yesterday, Bruce Bochy says he likes how Lincecum is throwing lately — he says he’s been progressing — and that it’s not gonna keep him out of the playoff rotation:

That progression has earned Lincecum at least one more start. The right-hander said after Sunday’s game that he has been told he’ll get a postseason start, although he’s not sure about the details.

“I’m okay with anything,” he said. “As long as I can help out the team in any way, that’s all I’m looking for.”

I presume the rotation will go Cain and Bumgarner in the 1-2 slot and then the hot-of-late Zito? So do you put Lincecum ahead of Vogelsong? I probably would, but it’s not the easiest call.

Either way, when Lincecum is on he’s great and the 5+ ERA is all erased for the postseason. But you have to figure he’ll have a short leash.

Rays outfielder Austin Meadows has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right thumb sprain, per a team announcement Sunday. No concrete timetable has been given for his return to the lineup just yet, but he’s scheduled to meet with a hand specialist on Sunday as the Rays try to determine the extent of his injury.

Meadows, 23, suffered the sprain in the seventh inning of Saturday’s 6-5 loss to the Red Sox. He lined a two-run triple into the right-center field gap — one of a franchise-record four triples that the Rays recorded in the game — but slid awkwardly into third base and jammed his right thumb in the process. He didn’t appear to be in obvious pain following the hit, however, nor was he removed from the game at the time.

Prior to the setback, Meadows carried a hefty .351/.422/.676 batting line with six homers, 19 RBI, and a 1.097 OPS through his first 83 plate appearances of 2019. He was replaced by Guillermo Heredia in right field for Sunday’s series finale and will likely lose a few starts to Avisaíl García as well.

In a series of corresponding moves, right-handed reliever Jake Faria was optioned to Triple-A Durham, infielder/outfielder Andrew Velazquez and righty reliever Emilio Pagán were recalled from Triple-A, and reliever Hunter Wood was placed on the paternity list. Second baseman Joey Wendle was also reinstated from the 10-day injured list after rehabbing a left hamstring strain and is scheduled take over the keystone during the Rays’ matinee against the Red Sox on Sunday.