TAMPA BAY RAYS NEWS

Harold Ramírez - Breather Thursday Ramirez is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Cardinals, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact Ramirez will take a seat after he went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs in Wednesday's victory. Randy Arozarena will slot in at designated hitter while Brett Phillips enters the lineup in right field and will bat sixth.

JUNE 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Vidal Bruján - Knocks in three Brujan went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI on Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Impact Brujan delivered an RBI double in the opening inning and followed that up by driving in another run on a single in the sixth frame. It was both Brujan's first multi-hit and multi-RBI performance of the season. Given that, it's unsurprising that he is hitting just .147/.205/.200 across 83 plate appearances on the campaign. Despite his struggles, Brujan has started 12 of the last 14 games.

JUNE 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Harold Ramírez - Pair of RBI, runs Ramirez went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Impact Ramirez joined in the Rays' offensive barrage Wednesday by delivering an RBI double in the second inning and later grounding into a fielder's choice to drive in a run. He endured a cold stretch in late May, but Ramirez now has at least one hit in five of his last six appearances. In that span, he also has five RBI and five runs scored with a stolen base. Overall, Ramirez is hitting .284/.324/.381 across 145 plate appearances on the season.

JUNE 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ji-Man Choi - Big night at dish Choi went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Impact Choi was in the lineup for the first time this season with a southpaw on the mound. Three of his at-bats came without the handedness advantage, but Choi delivered a knock on each occasion. It's doubtful that the performance will change Choi's role in the long term. However, he is riding an eight-game hitting streak while delivering eight RBI and six runs scored in the span. Overall, Choi is hitting .276/.368/.463 with four home runs, 27 RBI and 17 runs scored across 144 plate appearances.

JUNE 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Manuel Margot - Reaches base five times Margot went 4-for-5 with a double, a walk and two runs scored Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Impact Margot hit atop the order for the second time this season with a lefty on the mound and the fourth time overall. He played the role perfectly by reaching base five times, while tallying his third multi-hit effort across 13 starts since returning from the injured list. Though he's fallen off since a hot stretch to begin May, Margot is still hitting .319 while also collecting 23 RBI, 16 runs scored and five stolen bases across 156 plate appearances on the season.

JUNE 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Randy Arozarena - Drives in four Arozarena went 3-for-5 with a double, four RBI and a run scored Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Impact Arozarena delivered an RBI double in the first inning and followed that up with a single that drove in two in the seventh frame. He's recorded four multi-hit games in his last 10 starts, during which he's hit .300 while driving in 10 and scoring four runs. Overall, Arozarena has a .267/.314/.433 line with six home runs and 10 stolen bases across 226 plate appearances on the season.

JUNE 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Corey Kluber - Aided by offensive support Kluber (3-2) allowed three earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out five across five innings to earn the win Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Impact Kluber was handed a five-run lead within the first three innings and took advantage to earn the win. Despite giving up three runs, he wasn't hit particularly hard, as Tyler O'Neill registered the only extra-base hit against Kluber with a solo home run in the fourth inning. Kluber has allowed three or fewer earned runs in five consecutive starts, which has helped him maintain a 3.88 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 51:9 K:BB across 55.2 innings on the season.

JUNE 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Rays play the Cardinals after Margot's 4-hit game

The Tampa Bay Rays play the St. Louis Cardinals after Manuel Margot had four hits against the Cardinals on Wednesday

JUNE 9, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Arozarena shines against old team, Rays beat Cardinals 11-3

Randy Arozarena had three hits and four RBIs against his original team to help the Tampa Bay Rays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-3

JUNE 9, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rays' offense breaks out in big win over Cardinals Season highs for runs and hits are a good sign. Now the question becomes, can they keep it going?

JUNE 9, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM

Shane Baz - Season debut coming Saturday Rays manager Kevin Cash said Baz (elbow) is on track to come off the 60-day injured list to start Saturday's game in Minnesota, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact As anticipated, Baz will be ready to make his season debut this weekend after he recently wrapped up a four-start rehab assignment at Triple-A Durham. In his most recent outing Sunday, Baz struck out 10 over 4.1 innings while building up to 79 pitches, so he shouldn't face any significant restrictions with his workload in his first start with the Rays. In his first taste of the big leagues late last season, Baz produced a 2.03 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 18:3 K:BB across 13.1 innings over his three starts.

JUNE 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Mike Zunino - Remains out of lineup Zunino isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.

Impact Zunino went 1-for-6 with a home run, two RBI, a walk and two strikeouts over his last two games, and he'll be out of the lineup for a second consecutive matchup. Francisco Mejia will start behind the plate and bat seventh.

JUNE 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Isaac Paredes - Not in Wednesday's lineup Paredes is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Impact Paredes started in the last five games and went 2-for-13 with a homer, three runs, three RBI and five walks. Vidal Brujan will take over at the keystone and bat sixth Thursday.

JUNE 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Andrew Kittredge - Stumbles in setup role Kittredge allowed an earned run on two hits and a walk while striking out one in the eighth inning Tuesday against the Cardinals.

Impact Kittredge entered the game in the eighth inning with a one-run lead. He retired the two batters he faced with little trouble but allowed a walk and consecutive singles to cough up the advantage. Kittredge has made two appearances since returning from the injured list Sunday, with neither coming in a save situation. It's possible that the team wants to ease him back into the closer role, but they have also utilized a fairly successful committee of Colin Poche and Brooks Raley -- among others -- to close out games.

JUNE 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Taylor Walls - Delivers walkoff homer Walls went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run Tuesday in the Rays' 4-2 win over the Cardinals in 10 innings.

Impact Walls made his lone hit of the game count, taking Drew VerHagen deep in the bottom of the 10th for a two-out walkoff blast, his third of the season. Now that he's moved past the calf issue that sidelined him for a few days last week, Walls is expected to maintain an everyday role at shortstop while Wander Franco (quadriceps) is on the 10-day injured list.

JUNE 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Rays bring 1-0 series lead over Cardinals into game 2

The Tampa Bay Rays face the St. Louis Cardinals, leading the series 1-0

JUNE 8, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

'You never know who the hero's going to be': Walls walks it off ST. PETERSBURG -- During the four seconds after he made contact with Drew VerHagen’s two-strike sinker, Taylor Walls experienced a wave of c...

JUNE 8, 2022 • MLB.COM

Walls hits 3-run homer in 10th, Rays beat Cardinals 4-2

Taylor Walls hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2

JUNE 8, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jeffrey Springs - Six scoreless in no-decision Springs struck out five in six shutout innings while allowing six hits and two walks in a 4-2 win Tuesday against St. Louis. He did not factor into the decision.

Impact Springs allowed baserunners in each inning but managed to pitch around trouble and hold the Cardinals scoreless. The 92 pitches thrown were a season-high for the lefty. He has excelled since moving into the starting role in May, compiling a 2.01 ERA and 31:7 K:BB in 31.1 innings. As he continues to build endurance and pitch later into games he should have more chances to pick up victories.

JUNE 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Photos: Rays take on Cardinals Randy Arozarena, a former Cardinal, leads the Tampa Bay Rays lineup in the series opener with St. Louis at Tropicana Field.

JUNE 8, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM

Rays report: Randy Arozarena hitting 1st, Kevin Kiermaier 4th vs. Cardinals Lefty Jeffrey Springs will be on the mound, matched up with St. Louis right-hander Dakota Hudson.

JUNE 7, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM

Top prospect Baz to take Yarbrough's spot in Rays' rotation ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays are ready to see top prospect Shane Baz back in the big leagues. On Tuesday afternoon, they cleared a spot for Ba...

JUNE 7, 2022 • MLB.COM

Four years after trade, Austin Meadows makes his return to PNC Park Believe it or not, Tuesday will mark Austin Meadows’ first return to PNC Park since the fateful 2018 trade that sent him to the Tampa Bay Ra...

JUNE 7, 2022 • POST-GAZETTE.COM

Harold Ramírez - Takes seat Tuesday Ramirez is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Cardinals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact With Wander Franco (quadriceps) recently joining Brandon Lowe (back) on the 10-day injured list, more reps have indirectly opened up for Ramirez, who was included in the lineup in four of the past six games. The Rays may still take a rotation approach to the designated-hitter spot, but Ramirez still looks in good position to occupy that spot in most games until the team reclaims some health.

JUNE 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Shane Baz - Returning during upcoming road trip Baz (elbow) will rejoin the Rays' rotation during their upcoming series in Minnesota, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact Baz made his fourth rehab start at Triple-A Durham on Sunday and allowed a run on four hits and a walk while striking out 10 in 4.1 innings. He built up to 79 pitches in the start and will rejoin the Rays' rotation after Ryan Yarbrough was sent down Tuesday. The team hasn't yet revealed which game Baz will start during the three-game series against the Twins, but it seems likely that he'll take the mound Saturday or Sunday.

JUNE 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE