TAMPA -- The Rays lost another key reliever to the injured list on Tuesday, but they avoided a potential scare with one of their most important players and should get another big part of their lineup back soon.
Right-hander Hunter Bigge has been placed on the 15-day IL due to a right lat strain, the Rays announced before Tuesday’s series opener against the Phillies at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The club recalled reliever Cole Sulser from Triple-A Durham to take Bigge’s place in the bullpen.
During the sixth inning of their 8-4 loss to the Phillies on Tuesday night, the Rays removed designated hitter Yandy Díaz -- who hit his fifth homer of the season off Zack Wheeler in the fourth inning -- due to tightness in his right hip.
Díaz’s back foot slipped as he went to swing at a pitch from Wheeler. He which grabbed at his hip, leading the Rays to insert Christopher Morel as a pinch-hitter to finish the at-bat. However, Díaz said the injury won’t keep him off the field.
“I feel a little bit of tightness, but it's nothing to worry about,” he said through interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “I'm gonna be in the lineup tomorrow.”
Manager Kevin Cash said Bigge, who last pitched against the Royals on Thursday, reported his discomfort early on during the Rays’ weekend trip to Yankee Stadium. Tampa Bay stayed away from Bigge in that series, but Bigge reported to Steinbrenner Field on Monday and did not feel any better.
The Rays sent Bigge for an MRI, which revealed a low-grade strain. The club is optimistic that they caught Bigge’s injury early and didn’t push him to pitch through it, but he’ll be shut down from throwing for four to six days. The goal is to get him back in two or three weeks, although that will depend on how he feels in his recovery.
The 26-year-old right-hander, acquired from the Cubs as part of the Isaac Paredes-for-Morel deal prior to last year’s Trade Deadline, has pitched well for Tampa Bay this season. He’s allowed four runs, all on solo homers, with a 2.40 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 15 innings over 13 appearances.
The Rays are also missing relievers Kevin Kelly, who should resume mound work on Wednesday before potentially returning in late May, and Alex Faedo, who is out with right shoulder inflammation and was shut down again due to neck/shoulder tightness. But they felt good about their bullpen depth coming out of Spring Training, a group that included Sulser.
There was some good news on the injury front on Tuesday, however. After being briefly set back late last week by back spasms that required a trigger point injection, Josh Lowe (Grade 2 right oblique strain) took live batting practice on Tuesday, had two walks and a two-run homer and felt good.
Lowe is set to fly out Wednesday and begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Thursday. He’s been out since Opening Day, so it’s not yet clear how long he’ll need to get comfortable at the plate before rejoining the Rays.
“I think we'll talk to him probably every two or three games and get a sense of how he's feeling physically, how he's feeling baseball-ready, timed up at the plate,” Cash said. “And I'll talk to [Durham manager] Morgan [Ensberg] once he starts the rehab assignment. … Right now, it's too early to say whether we have [him set for] 15 at-bats or 30 at-bats. A lot will be dependent on probably our upcoming conversations.”
Fellow outfielders Jonny DeLuca (right shoulder strain) and Jake Mangum (left groin strain) are making progress, with DeLuca hitting off a tee and Mangum “busting it trying to get back,” Cash said.
In the meantime, the Rays made an interesting realignment with their outfield on Tuesday night, shifting speedster Chandler Simpson to left field for the first time in the Majors. Simpson played there plenty in the Minors but didn’t have time to work in the corners in Triple-A before injuries prompted his promotion. Kameron Misner, viewed by the Rays as an excellent defender in all three spots, got the start in center in the series opener.
Cash also shared an encouraging update on ace Shane McClanahan, who has been out since late March due to a nerve-related triceps issue. There’s no update on his timetable, but he is playing catch at 60 feet. And he survived an unexpected blow Tuesday night, absorbing a Kyle Schwarber foul ball off his left biceps while watching the game in the dugout.
“Shane is feeling much better,” Cash said Tuesday afternoon. “Talking to him today, he’s in a better headspace than maybe what he’s been in the past. He’s playing catch [and] is day-to-day making progress.”