Impact Zunino will take a seat for Thursday's series finale against Texas after he went hitless with four strikeouts in his last seven at-bats. Francisco Mejia will serve as the starting catcher Thursday, batting eighth.
APRIL 15, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
MIKE ZUNINO #10 - CATCHER - CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
3 HR •
11 RBI •
.177 AVG
3 HR
11 RBI
.177 AVG
Takes seat Thursday Zunino isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Sits after big day at dish Zunino is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Zunino will be getting the night off one day after slugging a home run and a double in the Rays' series finale with the Yankees. Francisco Mejia will get a turn behind the dish while Zunino rests.
APRIL 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Homers, doubles Sunday Zunino went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a double in Sunday's loss against the Yankees.
Impact Zunino entered this game having recorded just two hits over 16 at-bats through his first five games of the campaign, but he posted his first multi-hit performance while being a dominant presence at the plate. The backstop has two homers, four RBI and a .854 OPS over his first six games of the campaign.
APRIL 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Odor snaps late tie with 1st hit as Yankee, NY tops Rays 8-4
Rougned Odor snapped a 10th-inning tie with his first hit as a Yankee, Gio Urshela homered and drove in three runs, and New York rallied Sunday to avoid a weekend sweep with an 8-4...APRIL 11, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Takes seat Saturday Zunino isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Zunino went hitless with a run and one strikeout in Friday's win over the Yankees, but he'll be out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games. Francisco Mejia will take over behind the dish Saturday, batting ninth.
APRIL 10, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Gets rest day Zunino is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Tampa Bay concludes its series in Boston with a day game following a night game, so Zunino will take a seat after catching both of the past two contests. Backup Francisco Mejia will step in behind the plate to work in a battery with Rays starting pitcher Ryan Yarbrough.
APRIL 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Martinez's 2-run double in 12th lifts Red Sox over Rays 6-5
Randy Arozarena got twisted around in deep right field on JAPRIL 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bogaerts has 4 of Boston's 16 hits in 11-2 win over Rays
Xander Bogaerts had four hits and the Boston Red Sox got on the board with 16 hits and their first win of the season, 11-2 over the Tampa Bay RaysAPRIL 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belts solo homer in loss Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a loss to the Marlins on Saturday.
Impact The slugging veteran got a hold of an Elieser Hernandez offering in the second inning and sent it 397 feet to left field to give the Rays a 2-1 lead at the time. The round tripper served as Zunino's first hit of the season after he went 0-for-3 on Opening Day and got a day off Friday.
APRIL 4, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Marte helps Marlins rally for 1st win, 12-7 over Rays
Starling Marte had four hits and the Miami Marlins beat the Tampa Bay Rays at home for the first time since 2018 with a 12-7 victoryAPRIL 4, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Day off Friday Zunino is not in the lineup for Friday's game at Miami.
Impact Zunino started behind the plate Opening Day and went 0-for-3 with one strikeout and one walk. Francisco Mejia will take over at catcher for the Rays on Friday.
APRIL 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Red Sox lefty Rodriguez scratched for opener with 'dead arm'
Boston Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez will have to wait a little longer before returning to a big league moundMARCH 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Padres star Tatis feels better, expected back in lineup soon
Fernando Tatis Jr. is feeling a lot better, a huge relief to the star San Diego shortstop, his team and his many fansMARCH 24, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nats reliever Harris out with blood clot in pitching arm
Washington Nationals reliever Will Harris has a blood clot in his right arm and the team doesn’t expect him to be in the bullpen on opening dayMARCH 20, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belts first spring homer Zunino went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in a Grapefruit League win over the Orioles on Tuesday.
Impact The slugging backstop's first round tripper of spring was part of a seven-run second inning for the Rays and served as only his second hit of Grapefruit League play in 16 plate appearances. Zunino has already struck out six times as well, so despite the big blast offering a reminder of the best part of his offensive profile, his issues making consistent contact also appear as prevalent as ever.
MARCH 17, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Ceding time to Mejia early Zunino has logged four plate appearances across two Grapefruit League games -- half the amount of fellow backstop Francisco Mejia -- drawing two walks and scoring a run.
Impact Zunino is unsurprisingly ceding some time behind the dish to the younger Mejia, who the Rays plan to give a long look this spring as the trade acquisition from the Padres acclimates to the pitching staff and various AL opponents. The veteran Zunino is still ticketed for a solid allotment of playing time in the coming season, but the switch-hitting Mejia, who's distinguished himself at the plate early, is set to serve as an opposite-handed complement and will be given an opportunity to prove he's the future at catcher. Meanwhile, Zunino will be focused on giving a serious boost to a slash line that's featured sub-.200 averages and sub-.240 on-base percentages each of the past two seasons, as well as lowering a strikeout rate that hasn't been under 33.0 percent since 2013.
MARCH 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
JA Happ, Twins finalize $8 million, 1-year contract
The Minnesota Twins and pitcher JJANUARY 22, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
AP source: Twins bolster rotation with $8M deal for Happ
The Minnesota Twins and veteran starting pitcher JJANUARY 21, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rays re-sign C Mike Zunino to $3 million, 1-year deal
The Tampa Bay Rays have re-signed free agent catcher Mike Zunino to a $3 million, one-year contract that includes with a club option for 2022DECEMBER 16, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Agrees to one-year deal Zunino signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Rays on Wednesday with a 2022 option, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Zunino was reportedly in "deep talks" with the Rays earlier Wednesday, and he's now reached a deal to return to his former team. Tampa Bay declined his $4.5 million team option for 2021 in late October, but the 29-year-old should serve in a timeshare at catcher after striking a new agreement. Zunino played 28 games for the Rays during the shortened 2020 season, recording a career-worst .147 batting average with four home runs and 10 RBI.
DECEMBER 16, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Friday's Sports in Brief
OCTOBER 31, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lester, Kluber, Hand boost free agent total to 175
Jon Lester, Corey Kluber and Brad Hand were among 15 more major leaguers who became free agents when teams declined their 2021 options, many victims of budget cuts following a seas...OCTOBER 31, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rays decline options on RHP Charlie Morton, C Mike Zunino ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays are declining 2021 options on pitcher Charlie Morton and catcher Mike Zunino but the AL champ...
OCTOBER 30, 2020 • OLEANTIMESHERALD.COM
Rays decline options on RHP Charlie Morton, C Mike Zunino The Tampa Bay Rays are declining 2021 options on pitcher Charlie Morton and catcher Mike Zunino but the AL champions say they remain hopeful...
OCTOBER 30, 2020 • WASHINGTONTIMES.COM
Rays decline options on RHP Charlie Morton, catcher Mike Zunino ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays are declining 2021 options on pitcher Charlie Morton and catcher Mike Zunino but the AL champions...
OCTOBER 30, 2020 • TRIBLIVE.COM
