The Rays and Yankees certainly entertained in their two series so far this season, haven’t they? Jason Adam’s heartbeat has returned to normal and the Rays were able to leave the Bronx with a series split.
Kevin Cash’s team has a much-needed day off Monday before crossing the East River to play three games against the Mets beginning Tuesday night.
Unfortunately, the starting rotation suffered another casualty on the trip when Drew Rasmussen was placed on the 60-day IL with a right flexor strain. The hope is that he will return after the all-star break. His injury, which followed a sparkling seven shoutout innings Thursday night, comes one month after Jeffrey Springs exited a start against Boston at Tropicana Field. The lefty needs Tommy John surgery and will not be back until next season.
Those are major blows.
There is some good news on the injury front. Pete Fairbanks (hand numbness) was activated Monday and Tyler Glasnow, despite a setback earlier this month, will resume rehab this week as he seeks to return from an oblique strain sustained in spring training.
In the news: Rays Look To Take Bite Out Of Big Apple Following Series Loss In Baltimore
The Rays (31-11) continue to plow forward. Don’t they always? Resilience is at the top of the list of boxes that are checked each year and the 2023 season has certainly not been an exception, not when 23 pitchers have taken the mound in the season’s first six weeks.
The lineup, fortunately, has remained healthy. Yandy Diaz left Sunday’s game with groin tightness, though hopefully it is nothing serious. Through Sunday, Diaz was second in the majors with a 1.021 OPS, fourth in batting at .321 and his 10 home runs – he hit a grand slam Saturday — are one more than he hit last season.
Diaz is one of a few Rays putting up eye-opening numbers on a team that leads the majors in batting (.275), home runs (81), OPS (.349), slugging (.508) and OPS (.857 and the only team as high as .800).
Randy Arozarena is fourth in RBI (35) and fifth in batting (.320) while tied with Diaz for the team lead with 10 homers.
While others have contributed, and in a big way, Taylor Walls and Josh Lowe have had a superb first six weeks. Walls’ grand slam was the difference in Sunday’s 8-7 series finale. He also tripled, singled and drove in five runs. The switch-hitter enters the series against the Mets hitting .281 with seven homers and 18 RBI while also seven-for-seven in stolen bases. Last season, Walls, who is superb in the field whether he is playing second, third or short, hit .172 with eight homers and 33 RBI.
Lowe has a couple of mammoth homers, both in terms of distance and importance during what was has been a fantastic first quarter of the season. The lefty-swinging outfielder is hitting .308 with nine homers and 28 RBI in 111 at-bats after hitting .221 and 2/13 in 181 ABs last season as a rookie.
“They worked hard this off-season,” said Cash. “They’re good players and have shown the ability coming up through the minor leagues that they can hit. I think we thought it was a matter of time. It doesn’t always (happen at the start of career.) This game is tough.”
Walls, Lowe, and the rest of the Rays have made it look easy at times this year. Not that it comes easy as the current trip, which Tampa Bay is 3-4 heading into the three-game series in Queens, would indicate. Still, there is a chance to at least break even before a 10-game homestand gets underway Friday night against Milwaukee.
First things first, and that means the Mets (20-21) on Tuesday evening with Yonny Chirinos (1-1, 2.22 ERA) on the mound for the Rays against Justin Verlander (1-1, 2.25 ERA).
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