Rays right fielder Matt Joyce is not in Thursday's Rays' lineup, wrote Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
- Joyce returned to action on Tuesday after a month on the DL, after oblique and lower back strains knocked him out of the lineup.
- Joyce said he wasn't sure if he'd be able to play a day game after a night game, and woke up Thursday feeling "stiff and sore."
- The Rays are being cautious with Joyce, who sports an .878 OPS in 64 games this season.
- Joyce batted cleanup for the Rays in his return to the lineup, and went 1-for-8 in two games.
- Struggling veteran Hideki Matsui starts in Joyce's place in right field Thursday against Cleveland. He'll bat sixth, with Luke Scott taking over at cleanup.
