NEW YORK -- The Rays are more than pleased that July is over. They went 7-18 during the month and July 31 was a day to forget.
Besides losing to the Yankees, 7-4, first baseman Jonathan Aranda, designated hitter Yandy Díaz and left fielder Chandler Simpson left the afternoon game at Yankee Stadium because of injuries.
Aranda may have the worst ailment. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Giancarlo Stanton led off and hit a slow roller to third baseman Junior Caminero, who rushed to throw the baseball. As the ball was approaching first base, Stanton and Aranda collided, and Aranda fell to the ground with a serious left wrist injury. According to Aranda, the X-rays were negative, but he is going to get examined by the team’s assistant orthopedic physician, Douglas Carlan, on Friday.
The Rays are expecting Aranda to miss his share of games, with a stint on the injured list likely coming for the 2025 All-Star.
“I felt a lot of pain. It was something rare. I never felt anything like that before,” Aranda said through interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “It’s a play you rarely do. [Stanton] was coming and I was coming to the ball. It was one of those rare things. It was a baseball play.”
Manager Kevin Cash called the injury crushing because the team will lose one of its best players for “some time.” In 103 games, Aranda has a slash line of .316/.394/.478 with 12 home runs and 54 RBIs.
Aranda left the game and was replaced by Brandon Lowe, who started the game at second base, while José Caballero filled in at second base until he was traded to the Yankees during the game. With no bench players left, Lowe went back to second while catcher Matt Thaiss finished the game at first.
Díaz also exited the same game in the top of the fourth inning after suffering a right forearm contusion. The injury occurred in the top of the first after he was hit by a pitch from Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman. According to Cash, the X-rays were negative.
“The pitch got him in a spot where it created some soreness really quick,” Cash said.
Simpson also had an early exit, which came in the bottom of the third. After grounding out to end the top of the frame, Simpson went into the outfield in pain with a left hand injury. Cash and the athletic trainer attended to Simpson, who decided to come out of the game.
“Chandler was a fluke thing when he swung the bat. He [felt the pain] on his knuckle, but he is already feeling better,” the skipper said.
Both Díaz and Simpson are listed as day to day.
The Rays are now in a new month. Friday is Aug. 1. Key pieces like Díaz, Lowe and Pete Fairbanks are still on the team.
After acquiring right-handers Griffin Jax and Adrian Houser before the Trade Deadline, the Rays are hoping they can get back in the American League playoff race. Entering Friday’s action against the Dodgers, the Rays are 10 games behind the Blue Jays in the AL East race and four games behind the Mariners for the third and final Wild Card spot.
“Collectively, it will be a good breath,” Fairbanks said. “We added a couple of pieces. We have some guys who are staying, people who have been here for seven seasons at this point. To add two big arms to it, we are pretty excited about it.”
Lowe is happy that he is a member of the Rays. He has been with the team since 2018.
“By no means were we dumping or looking forward to next year,” Lowe said. “… I’m excited to get those new arms in, see what they can do. Now we can say goodbye to July. We are in August now in my head. We can all relax, take a deep breath in this clubhouse and get back to what the Rays are used to doing.”