As speculated, then unspeculated, here by yours truly, Jeff Marquez will start Friday's game against the Bowie Baysox. I guessed he would be coming this way, but re-considered when I saw he was moved to the 60-Day Disabled List earlier this week.

I figured that meant his injury had gotten worse, and would prevent him from coming north. Then I realized that it may simply have been a roster-shuffling move, and it wouldn't necessarily keep him from a second stint in Trenton.

Because he's considered a major league rehab, no move will be required to get him a place on the roster.

A former first-rounder and a part of the trade that brought Nick Swisher to the Yankees, Marquez has pitched five innings in the bigs, including four with the Yankees this season after he was claimed off waivers from the White Sox.

Marquez was a part of the 2007 and 2008 Thunder teams that won back-to-back Eastern League Championships.

Today, in Baseball America's latest round of minor league transactions, a number of notable names were optioned to the Eastern League. And although the assignments aren't final, they allow an approximate glimpse at some of the prospects that the Thunder should face this season.

Here's what BA reported this afternoon:

Baltimore Orioles
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Brandon Erbe, RHP Chorye Spoone, LHP Troy Patton, LHP Pedro Viola, 1B Joe Mahoney

Optioned to Double-A: RHP Luis Lebron, SS Pedro Florimon

Boston Red Sox
Signed: C Matt Spring
Released: RHP Doug Wogee
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Stolmy Pimentel, 2B Oscar Tejeda

Cleveland Indians
Signed: 1B Nick Johnson
Released: 1B Chris Kersten
Voluntarily retired: 1B Andrew Kinney
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Corey Kluber, RHP Zach McAllister, RHP Hector Rondon, 3B Jared Goedert, OF Nick Weglarz
Optioned to Double-A: LHP Kelvin de la Cruz, LHP Nick Hagadone

Detroit Tigers
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Lester Oliveros, RHP Jose Ortega, LHP Duane Below, LHP Andy Oliver, 3B Audy Ciriaco, SS Cale Iorg, OF Ryan Strieby
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Jacob Turner

Minnesota Twins
Signed: RHP Gerardo Ramirez, RHP Gonzalo Sanudo, LHP Andrew Albers (Quebec (Can-Am))
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP David Bromberg, RHP Eric Hacker, RHP Anthony Swarzak, OF Rene Tosoni
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Deolis Guerra, 1B Chris Parmelee, OF Joe Benson

New York Mets
Signed: RHP Manny Alvarez*
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Manny Alvarez, RHP Josh Stinson, 3B Zach Lutz, SS Ruben Tejada, OF Fernando Martinez
Optioned to Double-A: 2B Jordany Valdespin
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Armando Rodriguez

Philadelphia Phillies
Released: C Ryan Gugel, 1B Robb Quinlan
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Drew Naylor
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Justin De Fratus, RHP J.C. Ramirez, 1B Matt Rizzotti, 2B Harold Garcia, SS Carlos Rivero
Optioned to high Class A: 2B Cesar Hernandez

Pittsburgh Pirates
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Bryan Morris, LHP Daniel Moskos, LHP Tony Watson, OF Gorkys Hernandez, OF Alex Presley
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Ramon Aguero, LHP Jeff Locke, LHP Aaron Thompson
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Kyle McPherson

San Francisco Giants
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Henry Sosa, LHP Alex Hinshaw, LHP Clayton Tanner, 3B Conor Gillaspie, OF Thomas Neal
Optioned to Double-A: SS Ehire Adrianza, OF Francisco Peguero
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Jose Casilla

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Garrett Mock*, LHP Atahualpa Severino*, C Lou Santangelo
Released: RHP Cla Meredith
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Adam Carr, RHP Garrett Mock, LHP Atahualpa Severino
Optioned to low Class A: OF Bryce Harper

Quick question: What do Adam Warren and the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders have in common? Both brought a tandem of blazing heat and devastating curves last night to Waterfront Park, a combination that, for both, rendered all comers weak in the knees.

For Warren, the combination helped him blaze through the Bowie Baysox en route to a 3-0 Thunder win. The night included 15 strikeouts from Warren, a new Thunder record and a new career high for the Yankees' fourth-round selection from a year ago.

His strikeouts included a stretch of five in a row, 13 swinging and two looking, and three apiece from Tyler Henson and Joel Guzman, EL All-Stars both. Guzman is also the circuit's home run leader and is a viable candidate for league MVP.

Below are videos of strikeouts number 13, 14 and 15, which were, in order, Joe Mahoney, Brandon Waring and Caleb Joseph, the brother of Thunder second baseman Corban Joseph.

The title really says it all.

PITCHING MATCHUPS

Tonight: RHP David Phelps (2-0, 1.52) vs. RHP Ryhoei Tanaka (2-2, 4.08) -- 7:05 p.m.
Tomorrow: RHP Lance Pendleton (1-2, 5.87) vs. RHP Tim Bascom (2-1, 2.73) -- 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: RHP D.J. Mitchell (2-2, 5.76) vs. RHP Zach Britton (2-2, 3.60) -- 1:05 p.m.

WHO'S HOT: TRENTON

Austin Romine kept his hitting streak intact through the team's road swing, and it now stands at 16 games, 11 off the team's record. To put that streak in a bit of perspective, the last time Romine went hitless was April 13, just five games into the season. ... The cleanup hitter in the Thunder's order, Brandon Laird, has also turned his fortunes after a slow start. Laird is hitting .302 over his last ten games, and went 9-for-31 with four doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs on the recent road swing. ... David Phelps, tonight's starter, has allowed just four earned runs on 17 hits in four outings this season.

WHO'S HOT: BOWIE

Second baseman Ryan Adams had a hit in six of the seven games on Bowie's road swing through Richmond and Harrisburg, including a 4-for-5 night on Wednesday. ... Caleb Joseph, Baysox catcher and brother of Yankees prospect Corban, hit his first home run of the season on Wednesday. He went 3-for-5 that night. ... Outfielder Tyler Henson is 13 for his last 41, with a long ball and eight RBIs. ... Rider alumnus Jim Hoey has allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings of relief after spending the early part of the season in extended spring training.