Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Rejoins starting nine

Donovan (neck) will start in left field and bat sixth in Monday's game against the Astros.

Donovan is back in action Monday after a stiff neck kept him out of the entirety of the Cardinals' three-game series with the Phillies over the weekend. The 27-year-old had been serving as the Cardinals' leadoff man against right-handed pitching prior to suffering the neck injury, but Donovan may have lost that role to Masyn Winn. The second-year shortstop will bat atop the order in the series opener in Houston while Donovan drops to sixth against Astros righty Justin Verlander.