One injured Rays player is on the comeback trail.
Outfielder/infielder Richie Palacios, sidelined before Opening Day with a fractured right ring finger, began a Minor League rehab assignment with Double-A Montgomery vs. Pensacola on Saturday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Palacios played right field and went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in the Biscuits' 10-5 loss.
According to Rays manager Kevin Cash, Palacios will play Sunday for Montgomery and then continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Tuesday.
Palacios was cleared for rehab games after playing five innings and getting five at-bats in extended spring training on Friday at the club’s Spring Training complex in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Palacios injured his finger when he was hit by a ball during outfield drills the week before the season began. He tried to play through the pain, but his finger kept swelling up, which made it difficult to grip a bat. X-rays revealed a minor fracture, so the Rays decided to give him additional time to heal.
Palacios was placed on the 10-day injured list on March 26, retroactive to March 24. He has been eligible to return since April 3.
The Rays elected to send Palacios to Double-A rather than Triple-A Durham simply because the Triple-A club is playing in chilly Buffalo, N.Y., which would have been a less-than-ideal atmosphere for a player returning from a fractured finger.
In his first season with the Rays last year, Palacios slashed.223/.346/.318 with five homers, 21 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 92 games. The 27-year-old is capable of playing six positions, but he is most likely to work in the outfield when he returns.