MIAMI -- Chandler Simpson was not in the Rays’ lineup on Sunday afternoon after injuring his right hand on Saturday night during a slide at home plate in the ninth inning of Tampa Bay’s 4-0 win over Miami.
Simpson’s face was bloodied after he face-planted during the awkward slide, but Tampa Bay’s No. 7 prospect was able to walk off under his own power after being evaluated by trainers. Christopher Morel replaced him in left field for the bottom of the inning.
Morel started in left for Simpson in Sunday’s 5-1 series-finale loss at loanDepot park.
“I felt it a little bit yesterday,” said Simpson, who wore a wrap on his injured hand as he spoke with reporters pregame on Sunday. “Just as the night went on, it got more stiff, and when I woke up this morning, I was sore. I tried to grip the bat, take a couple swings, it kind of felt off, so I didn’t want to push it.”
For Simpson, an IL stint was not of concern.
“Just icing it,” he said, “get some treatment on it and then we’ll see how it feels. They told me they just want to ice it right now, they don’t want to aggravate it or anything. And then as it feels better then they’ll attack it with some treatment as well.”
“[He’s available] if we need him to go in and run,” manager Kevin Cash said. “But we’ll continue to monitor him through the game and see if that soreness subsides a little bit.”
Simpson remained jocular despite the setback, still sporting the scars of battle on his face.
“[The guys] said it looked like I’d been in a fight, or I looked good, stuff like that,” Simpson said with a laugh.
“The ground is undefeated.”