MIKE ZUNINO NEWS

Extra work paying off Zunino hit two home runs in a simulated game Wednesday and has been putting in extra work in the batting cages during summer camp ahead of what he hopes will be a bounce-back seaso...

Impact The slugging backstop has plenty of room for improvement after a forgettable season in 2019 that included a .165/.232/.312 line and the lowest barrel percentage (11.6), average exit velocity (88.6 mph) and expected batting average (.194) since his rookie campaign. Zunino reconfigured his swing during spring training with the help of Mottola and assistant hitting coach Ozzie Timmons by adjusting his body positioning and base, and he continued working on integrating those tweaks while play was suspended. Zunino's two no-doubt homers Wednesday came off Sean Gilmartin and Shane McClanahan and provided a glimpse of the upside manager Kevin Cash sees in the veteran catcher. "That's a great sign," said Cash. "He can be as dangerous as anybody in our lineup. He has unbelievable strength and bat speed that can flip balls out. We have a lot of guys that are trending in the right direction, and at the right time."

JULY 16, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Showing well with bat in camp Zunino hit two home runs in a simulated game Wednesday and has been putting in extra work in the batting cages during summer camp ahead of what he hopes will be a bounce-back seaso...

Impact The slugging backstop has plenty of room for improvement after a forgettable season in 2019 that included a .165/.232/.312 line and the lowest barrel percentage (11.6), average exit velocity (88.6 mph) and expected batting average (.194) since his rookie campaign. Zunino reconfigured his swing during spring training with the help of hitting coach Chad Mottola and assistant hitting coach Ozzie Timmons by adjusting his body positioning and base, and he continued working on integrating those tweaks while play was suspended. Zunino's two no-doubt homers Wednesday came off Sean Gilmartin and Shane McClanahan and provided a glimpse of the upside manager Kevin sees in the veteran catcher. "That's a great sign," said Cash. "He can be as dangerous as anybody in our lineup. He has unbelievable strength and bat speed that can flip balls out. We have a lot of guys that are trending in the right direction, and at the right time."

JULY 16, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Tampa Bay Rays: Mike Zunino hits two homers in simulated game Tampa Bay Rays News: Mike Zunino is hoping to improve upon his .165 average last season. Today, he blasted two homers in a simulated game. T...

JULY 15, 2020 • RAYSCOLOREDGLASSES.COM

Shines in Sunday sim game McClanahan was impressive in Sunday's simulated game while facing the foursome of Yandy Diaz, Hunter Renfroe, Mike Brosseau and Joey Wendle, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Impact The hard-throwing southpaw threw 10 of his 15 pitches for strikes and recorded a swinging strikeout of Wendle while keeping the velocity on his four-seam fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s. McClanahan received ample praise from both catcher Mike Zunino and manager Kevin Cash, with the latter noting McClanahan's stuff "would play in any league and in any inning" when referencing the possibility of the 23-year-old's chances of working as either a starter or reliever at some point this coming regular season. The path to such an opportunity isn't very clear at the moment with the team's stockpile of arms healthy, but there is apparently at least some chance McClanahan sees regular-season action this coming season despite not yet having pitched above Double-A ball.

JULY 13, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Gets BP in at Trop Zunino got a batting practice session in at Tropicana Field on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact The slugging catcher was joined by several teammates, including Austin Meadows, Willy Adames and Brandon Lowe, in the activity during the ongoing small-group workouts at Tropicana Field. Topkin adds the Rays are likely to start live batting practice on Wednesday, so Zunino should be able to ramp up his preparation for what now appears to be a 60-game regular season with a late-July start date.

JUNE 23, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

This Date in Baseball

This Date in Baseball

MAY 31, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

This Date in Baseball

This Date in Baseball

MAY 28, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bat could be key to roster spot Both Smith's handedness and bat could give him an upper hand in the backup catcher job battle, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Impact Smith is battling Michael Perez and Chris Herrmann to slot in behind starting backstop Mike Zunino, and he has a couple of factors that may ultimately tip the scales in his favor. One is the fact Smith is the only right-handed hitter among the trio, and another is that he's coming off a 2019 season with the Angels during which he posted career highs in exit velocity (89.4 mph) and expected batting average (.294). Furthermore, while Smith's average slumped to a serviceable .251 last season, it's worth noting he'd generated much stronger .283 and .292 figures in that category in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The 31-year-old was hitting .263 (5-for-19) with four RBI and five runs across nine Grapefruit League games before spring training was suspended.

MARCH 21, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Works sim game Tuesday Glasnow threw 50 pitches across three innings in a simulated game Tuesday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Impact Glasnow worked with Mike Zunino as a battery mate and faced Nate Low, Kevan Smith and Daniel Robertson during his three frames. The right-hander threw 27 pitches for strikes in what would turn out to be his final tune-up for the regular season now that the remainder of spring training has been cancelled due to concerns over the COVID-19 virus. Glasnow finished Grapefruit League play with 2.2 scoreless innings during which he allowed three hits and posted a 5:1 K:BB across a pair of starts.

MARCH 13, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Zunino agrees to $4.5 million, 1-year contract with Rays

Zunino, Rays agree on $4.5 million, 1-year contract, avoiding arbitration

NOVEMBER 26, 2019

Mike Zunino goes yard as Rays shut out Blue Jays at home

The Tampa Bay Rays topped the Toronto Blue Jays for the second straight night behind a 2-run Mike Zunino blast to left field.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2019

Newest 'Rays All-Access' episode gets to know 1st-year Tampa Bay catcher Mike Zunino

Get to know more about Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino with a new episode "Rays All-Access," premiering Aug. 6 on FOX Sports Sun.

AUGUST 6, 2019