ST. PETERSBURG — It’s possible (though not likely) that two Yankees could make their Major League debut at Tropicana Field tonight.

Brandon Laird, called up yesterday after Ramiro Pena‘s appendectomy, is finally active after a flight delay forced him to arrive late yesterday. On Tuesday, it was lefty Steve Garrison who was called up from Double-A Trenton to take the place of righty Sergio Mitre, who’s battling a bacterial infection but was placed on the DL because of shoulder tendinitis.

More on all that soon, but here are the lineups prior to what most will agree is a very important start for Bartolo Colon …

YANKEES (56-37)
Derek Jeter, SS
Curtis Granderson, CF
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nick Swisher, RF
Jorge Posada, DH
Russell Martin, C
Brett Gardner, LF
Eduardo Nunez, 3B

Pitching: RH Colon (6-5, 3.47 ERA)

RAYS (50-44)
Johnny Damon, DH
Ben Zobrist, RF
Evan Longoria, 3B
Casey Kotchman, 1B
B.J. Upton, CF
Robinson Chirinos, C
Sean Rodriguez, 2B
Sam Fuld, LF
Reid Brignac, SS

Pitching: RH Jeremy Hellickson (8-7, 3.21 ERA)

Some links from last night …

* Patience a virtue as Yanks edge Rays

* Jeter passes Kaline on career hits list

* Hurt corner: Pena to DL thins Yanks at 3B

* Yankees Notebook on Chavez and the Trade Deadline

* Yanks hope Colon has tossed aside concerns

(Sorry there was no blog yesterday — technical difficulties.)

– Alden