Tampa Bay Rays
AL East
Josh Lowe is down with an oblique injury and not expected to make the Rays Opening Day roster. (Source: Kristie Ackert on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Lowe had already been sidelined due to a hip injury, and now he is dealing with an oblique injury. He is without a clear timetable to return.
Category: Injury Updates
Wed, Mar 13th 9:36am EDT
By Jesse Garcia
Rays SP Taj Bradley is dealing with a pectoral strain and will not be ready to begin the season. (Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: Rays’ manager Kevin Cash said that Bradley will be shut down from throwing for at least two weeks and then will have to build back up. Bradley will head to the injured list to begin the season.
Category: Injury Updates
The Tampa Bay Rays optioned Junior Caminero to minor league camp. (Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Caminero was expected to open the season in the minors. He remains one of the top prospects in baseball and could be called up at some point this season.
Category: Transactions
Jonny DeLuca suffered a broken right hand after he was hit by a pitch on Sunday. (Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The typical recovery time is usually 4-6 weeks. DeLuca is expected to evaluated again in the next few days.
Category: Injury Updates
Tampa Bay Rays infielder Yu Chang (quad) will be sidelined for the next six to eight weeks. (Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The initial timeline was only a couple of weeks but Rays manager Kevin Cash said the injury is more severe than originally thought. Chang homered in a Grapefruit League game on Sunday but will certainly not be ready for Opening Day.
Category: Injury Updates
Osleivis Basabe is back in the Rays lineup on Friday where he is hitting No. 8 and starting at shortstop.
Fantasy Impact: Basabe was forced to leave Tuesday's game after getting hurt sliding head first. He didn't miss too much time and figures to continue to compete for a utility role.
Category: Injury Updates
Tampa Bays pitcher Brendan McKay (elbow) has faced live hitters for the first time since 2022. (Source: MLB Pipeline on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Elbow issues have destroyed the development of the former fourth-overall pick who hasn't appeared in the big league since 2019. The left-hander has impressed so far early in spring, however, and at 28 years old still has time to blossom into a big-league regular.
Category: Injury Updates
Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zack Littell is expected to spend the entire 2024 season as a starter. (Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Littell came to Tampa Bay after being designated for assignment by the Red Sox in 2023. He made 14 starts and 26 appearances for the Rays, working to a 3.93 ERA in the process. Tampa Bay has a wealth of rotation injuries and Tyler Glasnow was traded in the offseason but Littell is expected to hold a starter role for the entire campaign.
Newly-signed Amed Rosario is set to spend the 2024 season as a super-utility player for the Rays. (Source: Marc Topkin at the Tampa Bay Times)
Fantasy Impact: Rosario inked a one-year, $1.5 million pact with the Rays on Tuesday and will likely see time at second base, shortstop, third base, and the corner outfield spots. He has spent the vast majority of his career at shortstop but Jose Caballero should see the bulk of reps in that spot with Wander Franco remaining away from the team.
The Rays placed Drew Rasmussen on the 60-day injured list. (Source: Rays Communications on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: This move was made to make room for the addition of Amed Rosario. Rasmussen is expected to miss the majority, if not the whole season after undergoing surgery to repair the UCL in his right elbow last July.
Category: Injury Updates
Shane Baz is reportedly on the right track in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: “It is so nice to just come out here and throw and do my routine,” Baz said. “It’s been a lot of fun.” He is expected to face live hitters by the end of camp, then build up his pitch count and begin a rehab assignment. He said he "felt like his old self" after a bullpen session last Friday, a good sign that he is trending in the right direction.
Category: Injury Updates
The Rays won their arbitration case over DH Harold Ramirez, who will make the $3.8 million they offered. (Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Ramirez had requested $4.3 million. He hit .313 with 12 home runs at the plate last season.
Category: Transactions
Shane McClanahan has been placed on the 60-day injured list. (Source: Rays Communications on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The move was made to make room for the signing of Phil Maton. It is possible he doesn't pitch at all this season. If he does, it'll be very late in the year.
Category: Injury Updates
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jeffrey Springs is expected to return sometime in July or August of 2024. (Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The left-hander underwent Tommy John surgery in May of last season and will miss a significant chunk of the 2024 season as a result. He made just three starts in 2023, dominating to the tune of a 0.56 ERA in his 16 innings of work while he broke out with a 2.46 ERA across 33 appearances (25 starts) in the 2022 campaign.
Category: Injury Updates
Jason Adam lost his arbitration hearing with the Rays and will earn $2.7 million. (Source: Mark Feinsand on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Adam had filed for $3.25 million in the hearing. He'll continue to work in a high leverage out of the Rays bullpen.
Category: Transactions
Tue, Feb 13th 6:30pm EST
By Ari Koslow
The Rays are reportedly expecting Jose Caballero to win the starting shortstop job out of Spring Training. (Source: TampaBay.com)
Fantasy Impact: Caballero appears to be the favorite entering the spring with Taylor Walls still recovering from surgery on his right hip. “Through a lot of work and evaluation, (we) believe he can do it and do it well,” baseball operations president Erik Neander said. "“So as we stand here today … our expectation is that’s a job for him to take. And that would be considered a success for us if it plays out that way." This will be a situation to monitor over the next month.
Category: Rumors
Rays manager Kevin Cash said they are “going to lean heavy” on Pinto behind the plate this season. (Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Cash added that he feels what Pinto did offensively last year was under appreciated. He hit six home runs across 105 plate appearances last season, and will have the chance to see a lot more at-bats this season.
C.J. Hinojosa signed a minor league deal with the Rays with an invite to Spring Training. (Source: Rays Communications on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Hinojosa spent last season in the Marlins organization. He'll look to compete for a depth role in the Rays organization now.
Category: Transactions
Nick Meyer signed a minor league deal with the Rays with an invite to Spring Training. (Source: Rays Communications on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Meyer will look to compete for a depth role in the Rays organization. He previously spent several seasons in the Mets' organization.
Category: Transactions
Fri, Jan 12th 12:28am EST
By Ari Koslow
Isaac Paredes signed a one-year deal worth $3.4 million with the Rays to avoid arbitration. (Source: Mark Feinsand on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Paredes has found himself in the middle of a number of trade rumors this offseason. It is something to monitor, but for now he remains with Tampa Bay.
Category: Transactions