Rays outfielder Josh Lowe has spent a lot of the season on the injured record after a sequence of accidents, together with indirect, hamstring and hip points, prevented him from enjoying since spring coaching. Issues started trying up for the 26-year-old when he was activated off the injured record earlier this month, however he appeared in simply 14 video games earlier than being pulled from Wednesday’s recreation towards the Crimson Sox on account of proper facet pressure.
The pressure instantly raised alarms for Lowe and the Rays given his indirect points earlier this season. Nonetheless, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Occasions reported that whereas Lowe underwent an MRI examination to find out the severity of the problem, the outcomes had been in the end inconclusive. Topkin means that an injured record placement for Lowe stays seemingly to make sure that he doesn’t irritate the indirect situation that left him sidelined to open the season. The membership will wait till Friday to make a willpower a couple of potential IL stint for the outfielder after Lowe advised membership officers Thursday morning that he was feeling higher.
The membership’s first-round choose within the 2016 draft, Lowe loved a breakout season final 12 months as he posted a robust .292/.335/.500 slash line in 501 plate appearances, good for a wRC+ of 131. That determine has dipped to only 108 this season, though a pattern dimension of simply 54 plate appearances is hardly significant sufficient to attract conclusions from. Whether or not Lowe in the end proves to as soon as once more be the impression bat he was for the Rays in 2023 or not, one other journey to the injured record can be an unlucky flip of occasions for a lineup that’s already with out Taylor Partitions and has seen key items like Randy Arozarena and Yandy Diaz battle within the early going this 12 months. Richie Palacios was the membership’s major reply in proper subject whereas Lowe was out earlier this 12 months and as soon as once more figures to deal with the place in his absence ought to he require a visit to the injured record.
Talking of Partitions, Topkin experiences that the infielder might be nearing a notable step ahead in his rehab from offseason hip surgical procedure as he’s “tentatively scheduled” to maneuver from the Florida Complicated League as much as Triple-A Durham on Might 30. That’s a reasonably fast turnaround, as Partitions first started his rehab project in Florida on Tuesday in keeping with MLB.com’s Damage Tracker. The Rays have relied on Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario to deal with shortstop in Partitions’s absence however neither of them have the sturdy defensive repute of Partitions, whose +38 Defensive Runs Saves from 2021 to 2023 are sixth-best amongst all large league infielders regardless of Partitions showing in simply 295 video games throughout that point.
In different Rays information, Topkin additionally relays that membership supervisor Kevin Money advised reporters that the membership stays focused on right-hander Erasmo Ramirez even after designating the righty for project Wednesday. Money indicated that the membership may look to pursue a reunion with Ramirez within the occasion that he isn’t claimed by one other membership whereas on waivers, noting that the membership would “undoubtedly” like him again within the fold.
The 34-year-old hurler first performed for the Rays from 2015-2017 as a swing man earlier than returning to the membership midseason final 12 months. Ramirez’s second stint with the Rays may’ve gone higher, as he allowed a 5.84 ERA whereas putting out simply 18.2% of batters confronted in 49 1/3 innings of labor throughout the previous two seasons. Even so, he’s simply a few years faraway from a robust 2022 marketing campaign with the Nationals the place he pitched to 2.92 ERA in 86 1/3 frames throughout 60 appearances as a multi-inning aid arm for the membership.
