Tampa Bay Rays reinstate outfielder Josh Lowe from the 10-day injured list

Updated May. 6, 2024 9:39 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated outfielder Josh Lowe from the 10-day injured list before Monday night's game with the Chicago White Sox.

Lowe has been out since opening day due to a right oblique strain that occurred during spring training, and experienced right hamstring tightness in late April just before he was expected to rejoin the team.

Lowe hit .292 with 20 homers, 83 RBIs and stole 32 bases last season.

“My body feels 100%,” Lowe said. “I feel like I'm starting to trend in the right direction baseball-wise. Feel good in the box.”

Lowe is the second injured Rays outfielder to return in the past few days. Jonny DeLuca got off the IL Friday after missing the start of the season with a broken right hand.

DeLuca drove in six runs over the weekend in his first three games, and started Monday night in center. Lowe got the call in right.

The infusion of outfielders will cost struggling center fielder Jose Siri playing time as Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash looks to mix-and-match.

“We’re going to rotate through all of them,” Cash said. “Josh is a workload thing. I think Jonny DeLuca is deserving of some playing time, so he’s going to get it.”

Siri entered Monday in a 3 for 37 (.081) slide, and hitting .176 overall with 43 strikeouts.

Right-hander Edwin Uceta had his contract selected from Triple-A Durham, where he was 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA in 10 games. Uceta appeared in 25 games, going 0-3, in 2021-23 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets.

Tampa Bay used six relievers in Sunday's 7-6, 10-inning win over the Mets after starter Ryan Pepiot was hit by a 107.5 mph liner on his left calf and exited the game.

X-rays taken Sunday on Pepiot were negative.

“Pep, today coming in, he's good,” Cash said. “We want to see him take another jump tomorrow to see what his next step is."

Pepiot played catch on Monday.

Right-hander Taj Bradley, sidelined all season by a right pectoral strain. rejoined the team from Triple-A Durham but was not added to the roster.

“We're thrilled where he's at,” Cash said. “He's certainly in the mix to be inserted into the rotation.”

To make room on the 26-man roster, infielder Curtis Mead and reliever Jacob Lopez were optioned to Durham.

Infielder-outfielder Niko Goodrum was designated for release or assignment.

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