B. Lowe's early exit with side soreness 'very precautionary'

MINNEAPOLIS -- It was shaping up to be quite a birthday celebration for Brandon Lowe.

On the day he turned 31, Lowe was named to the American League All-Star team for the second time in his career. He was also on the verge of setting a new franchise record with a 21-game hitting streak. Instead, the streak was over before three innings had been played.

Lowe was removed from the Rays’ 7-5, 10-inning win over the Twins on Sunday afternoon at Target Field in the bottom of the third inning. The team later announced he was suffering from soreness in his left side, though both Lowe and his manager downplayed the severity of the injury.

“There was just some discomfort. Again, kind of a long-run type of thing, of understanding that this team's good, this team’s special, let's stay healthy and not try to land on an IL or anything like that,” Lowe said. “It feels very precautionary.”

Lowe struck out swinging in the first inning. That turned out to be his only at-bat. In the bottom of the first, while attempting to turn a 6-4-3 double play, his throw sailed high and wide of first base. One inning later, his day was done.

“I think that we were trying to be smart with it and cautious,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He said he felt it -- just take him out of the game.”

Considering Lowe was dealing with a right shin bone bruise and couldn’t participate in All-Star activities the last time he made the team -- 2019, his rookie season -- it’s fair to wonder if he was worried that history was repeating itself. But he brushed off those concerns quickly.

“I don’t think so,” Lowe said. “Like we were saying, it’s a very early-stage precaution. I felt something -- let’s not make anything worse.”

As for the hitting streak, there was only one outcome for the day that mattered to Lowe, and it didn’t have anything to do with personal achievements.

“I mentioned it yesterday, I’d trade [the streak] for a win,” he said. “That’s perfectly OK with me.”