Already without defenders Chris Barker (calf) and Reda Johnson (knee), Sturrock's back four problems were exacerbated by an injury to emergency centre-half Kari Arnason (hamstring) during last Sunday's 1-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest.
Arnason's replacement was on-loan Manchester United central defender James Chester, who kept his place to make his first start for Argyle in the 2-1 victory at Peterborough.
The win was the Pilgrims' first of the season and ended a seven-match losing sequence.
Rory Fallon is likely to retain his place in attack after marking his return to the side at London Road with a goal.
Fit-again Darcy Blake and Jim Paterson are also set to continue on the flanks.
Scunthorpe goalkeeper Joe Murphy is a doubt for the long trip to face Plymouth.
The Republic of Ireland stopper came off in the second half of Wednesday's 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest with a dead leg - the second time in three games that he has been withdrawn early - and remains doubtful for the Home Park clash.
Murphy will travel with the rest of the squad, but youngster Josh Lillis, who has recently returned from a loan spell at Grimsby, is on standby to play.
Influential striker Gary Hooper, who has missed the last three games with a hamstring strain, is fit again and in contention for a start, with Jonathan Forte the man most likely to make way. David Mirfin, who came off with a groin injury in the local derby against Doncaster last Saturday, is rated as only 50-50.
Boss Nigel Adkins is confident that the quick turnaround between playing at Forest on Wednesday and setting off for Plymouth on Friday won't affect the players.
"The lads are good and the players who have played the majority of the games have had saunas, ice baths and showers to flush the system and recover," he told the club's official website.
Sporting Life