TAMPA BAY RAYS NEWS

Manuel Margot - Could avoid surgery Manager Kevin Cash said Friday that the Rays are "trending toward being optimistic" that Margot (knee) won't require surgery, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Margot was carted off the field Monday against the Yankees after crashing into the outfield wall and has been undergoing further testing in recent days. He's dealing with an issue in his patellar tendon rather than his ACL, which has helped to contribute to the Rays' optimism regarding his status. Regardless of whether the 27-year-old requires surgery, he'll be forced to miss at least two months after he was transferred to the 60-day injured list Thursday.

JUNE 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Pirates vs. Rays prediction, betting odds for MLB on Friday The Pittsburgh Pirates lock horns with the Tampa Bay Rays in MLB on Friday. This preview features our best bet of the game.

JUNE 24, 2022 • PENNLIVE.COM

Pirates visit the Rays to start 3-game series

The Tampa Bay Rays host the Pittsburgh Pirates to open a three-game series

JUNE 24, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

For Rays, close has definitely not been good enough Notes | A streak of nine straight games decided by two or fewer runs, tying a team record, has yielded a 2-7 mark.

JUNE 23, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM

Manuel Margot - Heads to 60-day IL Tampa Bay transferred Margot (knee) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Thursday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact The transaction confirms what was already feared when Margot was carted off the field in Monday's loss to the Yankees: that the 27-year-old outfielder will be headed for an extended absence. The Rays are still classifying Margot's injury as a right knee sprain, with the tear presumably being of the second- or third-degree variety since he's now set to miss at least two months. While Margot is on the shelf, rookie Josh Lowe should have a clearer runway to a near-everyday role in the Tampa Bay outfield.

JUNE 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

David McKay - Traded to Rays McKay was traded from the Yankees to the Rays on Thursday in exchange for cash considerations.

Impact McKay spent spring training with the Rays but was dealt to the Yankees in early April. He spent most of the start of the year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and posted a 2.91 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 21.2 innings over 17 relief appearances. The right-hander will earn a spot on the Rays' 40-man roster but will report to Triple-A Durham for now.

JUNE 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Wander Franco - Starts at short for Durham Franco (quadriceps) went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.

Impact Franco hit second and started at shortstop but didn't play the full game with two more rehab appearances on tap this week. Assuming all goes well across his three total games with Durham, Franco could be activated Saturday during Tampa Bay's three-game series against Pittsburgh.

JUNE 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Taylor Walls - Tallies multiple hits Walls went 2-for-4 with a double Wednesday against the Yankees.

Impact Walls led off the seventh inning with a double but was ultimately stranded. He had tallied a single three frames earlier to tally his first multi-hit game since May 3. Walls' time as the team's primary shortstop appears to be near an end with Wander Franco (quadriceps) in the midst of a rehab assignment.

JUNE 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ji-Man Choi - Reaches base three times Choi went 2-for-3 with a walk Wednesday against the Yankees.

Impact Choi reached base multiple times for the fifth time in his last six games. He's walked six times in that span, increasing his on-base percentage to .389 on the season. That's helped him maintain a .873 OPS across 186 plate appearances -- matching his highest mark as a Ray.

JUNE 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Vidal Bruján - Drives in three runs Wednesday Brujan went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI in a loss to the Yankees on Wednesday.

Impact Brujan slugged a two-run homer off Jordan Montgomery in the second inning and knocked in another run on a groundout in the fourth. This was the first multi-RBI game of his career. Brujan has posted a brutal .165/.210/.261 slash line on the season but has been a bit better in June, hitting .197 (12-for-61) with his only two homers of the season, 10 RBI and a stolen base over 17 games.

JUNE 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Isaac Paredes - Goes deep again Wednesday Paredes went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Yankees on Wednesday.

Impact After going deep three times against New York on Tuesday, Paredes swatted a solo shot in his first at-bat of Wednesday's contest. His unexpected power surge has Paredes up to nine major-league homers on the campaign to go along with the four long balls he swatted in 25 games with Triple-A Durham. He has never been a prolific home-run hitter in the minors, but there is the possibility that he is learning to tap into his raw power.

JUNE 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Shane Baz - Looks good against Yankees Baz did not factor in the decision against the Yankees on Wednesday, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six over 4.2 innings.

Impact Baz held New York scoreless through three innings before serving up a solo homer to Aaron Judge in the fourth. The right-handed hurler began to falter in the fifth, allowing three straight hitters to reach base on a single and two walks with one out, but he struck out Judge with the bases loaded before giving way to a reliever. Baz was one out away from qualifying for the win when he was pulled, though that detail was made moot when the Yankees came back to win. After allowing five runs over 2.1 innings in his first start of the season June 11, Baz has bounced back to allow only one run across 10.2 frames while racking up 13 strikeouts in his subsequent pair of outings.

JUNE 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Rays miss chances vs. 'best team in baseball' ST. PETERSBURG -- It was frustrating and deflating. But when the Rays were overtaken by the Yankees, 5-4, at Tropicana Field, dropping Tampa...

JUNE 23, 2022 • MLB.COM

Aaron Judge, Jose Trevino power Yankees comeback win over the Rays ST. PETERSBURG— The campaign has started. With Jose Trevino’ s eighth-inning go-ahead home run Wednesday night to give the Yankees a 5-4 win...

JUNE 23, 2022 • MERCURYNEWS.COM

Judge homers twice, Yankees come back to beat Rays 5-4

Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 26th and 27th home runs, Jose Trevino delivered a two-run shot that put New York ahead in the eighth inning and the Yankees beat the Tampa...

JUNE 23, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Judge's 2 blasts spark comeback win over Rays ST. PETERSBURG -- A day out of the lineup once again helped to recharge Aaron Judge’s batteries, as the Yankees slugger responded with a two...

JUNE 23, 2022 • MLB.COM

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays FREE LIVE STREAM (6/22/22): Watch MLB online | Time, TV, channel The New York Yankees, led by right fielder Aaron Judge, face the Tampa Bay Rays in a regular season game on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 (6/22/2...

JUNE 22, 2022 • NJ.COM

Bridget Hyland | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com The New York Yankees lead the American League at 50-18 and will face the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday following a 5-4 loss Tuesday.

JUNE 22, 2022 • NJ.COM

Prized Yankees prospect getting hot at the plate The New York Yankees lead the American League at 50-18 and will face the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday following a 5-4 loss Tuesday.

JUNE 22, 2022 • NJ.COM

New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays announce Wednesday night starting lineups Jordan\u00a0Montgomery\u00a0(3-1, 2.72) will start for New York, while Shane\u00a0Baz\u00a0(0-1, 5.40) will go for Houston.

JUNE 22, 2022 • NORTHJERSEY.COM

Brett Phillips - Sits against southpaw Phillips isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Yankees, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact Phillips drew a start against a left-handed pitcher Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. However, he'll get a breather Wednesday with southpaw Jordan Montgomery on the mound for the Yankees. Randy Arozarena, Josh Lowe and Vidal Brujan are starting in the outfield from left to right.

JUNE 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays betting preview for Wednesday, 6/22 The New York Yankees fell short on their comeback yesterday, but our expert believes they’ll get their revenge today.

JUNE 22, 2022 • SYRACUSE.COM

Harold Ramírez - Belts third home run Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a 5-4 win over the Yankees on Tuesday.

Impact Ramirez hit a home run in the first inning off Nestor Cortes to give him three longballs on the year. He came into the game scorching left-handed pitching with a .358 average and his blast helped the Rays get to a very difficult lefty in Cortes. With the recent injury to teammate Manuel Margot (knee), Ramirez and his .301 average should continue to see his fair share of at-bats.

JUNE 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Isaac Paredes - Three-homer night Paredes went 3-for-3 with three home runs and four RBI Tuesday against the Yankees.

Impact It was his first multi-hit game since May 30, and he is now hitting .200/.284/.600 with eight home runs over his last 65 at-bats. The Rays have dealt with several injuries to outfielders lately, and while Paredes plays the infield, he could see somewhat regular playing time in the short term if he can continue to make an impact offensively.

JUNE 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Colin Poche - Notches save despite home run Poche gave up two earned runs on a walk and a home run while striking out one to pick up his fifth save of the season in a 5-4 win over the Yankees on Tuesday.

Impact Rays manager Kevin Cash called on Poche to protect a three-run lead in the top of the ninth, and he got the job done to earn his fifth save of the season despite giving up a two-run home run to Marwin Gonzalez. The Rays are known for their closer-by-committee approach, but Poche appears to be the top man in the bullpen for now. He has two wins and three saves in June, and should continue to see continued high-leverage usage with J.P. Feyereisen (shoulder) on the IL and Andrew Kittredge out for the season with Tommy John surgery.

JUNE 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE