Rays to recall No. 7 prospect Simpson after optioning Misner to Triple-A

TAMPA -- Chandler Simpson is coming back to the big leagues.

The Rays optioned center fielder Kameron Misner to Triple-A Durham on Monday, clearing a spot on the roster that is expected to be filled by Simpson, the rookie speedster who stole 19 bases and wreaked all sorts of havoc on the basepaths in his first 35 MLB games.

The Rays did not confirm Simpson’s pending promotion as the club was traveling to Kansas City on Monday. He is expected to be officially recalled from Triple-A before Tuesday night’s series opener against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Simpson was called up to the Majors earlier than expected in April amid a wave of early season outfield injuries for Tampa Bay. He made an immediate impact with his unique skill-set, featuring elite contact and game-changing speed, and created runs on his own as Tampa Bay found its footing following an uneven start to the season.

But when Josh Lowe and Jake Mangum returned from their injuries, the Rays made the difficult decision to send Simpson down to Triple-A, where he could work on his defense and further refine his game. Less than a month later, Tampa Bay’s No. 7 prospect is set to return.

When the Rays optioned Simpson, one reason was the spectacular defensive play of Misner in center field. They wanted to keep him in the middle of their outfield, flanked by Mangum in left and Lowe in right.

Misner has continued to play well in center, but his struggles at the plate have overshadowed his defensive work. Since May 1, the 27-year-old is batting .148/.212/.213 with a 37.6% strikeout rate.

The Rays have other options in center, including Mangum (slashing .318/.361/.392 in his rookie season) and the versatile José Caballero, who started there on Saturday. They could also work Simpson back into the mix in center, where he started 10 games for Durham after returning to the Minors.

The most likely solution would be bumping Mangum from left to center field and having Simpson play regularly in left, with Christopher Morel (slashing .310/.333/.724 in reduced playing time this month) continuing to get occasional starts there.

But Simpson’s impact will more clearly be felt at the plate and especially on the bases. He took his temporary demotion in stride and performed even better than before for Durham, batting .366 with a .416 on-base percentage, three doubles, two triples and 11 steals (without being caught) in 16 games.