TAMPA BAY RAYS NEWS

Kevin Kiermaier - Takes seat Sunday Kiermaier is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.

Impact After three straight starts, Kiermaier will head to the bench and cede center-field duties to Brett Phillips in the series finale. Kiermaier is coming off a big showing in Saturday's 8-2 win in which he went 2-for-4 with a double and his first stolen base of the season.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Yandy Díaz - On bench Sunday Diaz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.

Impact The freshly activated Ji-Man Choi (elbow) will step in at first base for Diaz, who had drawn starts at the position in each of the Rays' last six games. Though Choi is back in the fold, Diaz is expected to play on a near-everyday basis while bouncing between the two corner-infield spots. Taylor Walls appears to be at greater risk of losing out on regular playing time following Choi's return.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Mike Zunino - Gets Sunday off Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.

Impact For the second time in the series, Zunino will give way to Francisco Mejia behind the dish. Zunino is expected to receive more frequent days off now that Mejia is healthy again after a recent stint on the COVID-19-related injured list, but the former is still expected to see the larger share of playing time at catcher.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Isaac Paredes - Sent back to minors The Rays optioned Paredes to Triple-A Durham on Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Paredes will lose his spot on the 26-man active roster after the Rays reinstated Ji-Man Choi (elbow) from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. During his week-long stay with Tampa Bay, Paredes appeared in six games and went 5-for-19 with a double, two runs and two RBI.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ji-Man Choi - Brought back from IL The Rays reinstated Choi (elbow) from the 10-day injured list Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. He'll start at first base and serve as the Rays' cleanup hitter in...

Impact Infielder Isaac Paredes was sent to Triple-A Durham to clear a spot on the 26-man active roster for Choi, who returns after a minimum-length stay on the IL due to loose bodies in his right elbow. Considering that Choi bats from the left side of the plate and isn't forced to do much throwing with his right arm given that he serves as either a first baseman or designated hitter, the injury shouldn't be anything that's too worrisome moving forward. With Choi back in the fold, Yandy Diaz is expected to move across the diamond to see most of his work at third base, which will likely result in Taylor Walls losing out on at-bats.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Kevin Kiermaier - Collects two hits, swipes bag Kiermaier went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in an 8-2 win against the Mariners on Saturday.

Impact Kiermaier did his damage early with a single in the third inning and a double and theft of third base in the fifth for only his second multi-hit game of the season. The 34-year-old has been slumping through May, going 1-for-18 over the five games prior to Saturday's effort, and the steal was his first of the season. If Kiermaier's .188/.243/.333 slash line holds, he would post career lows in each category.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Manuel Margot - Slugs grand slam Margot went 1-for-3 with a grand slam and a walk Saturday against the Mariners.

Impact Margot broke the game open with his blast in the eighth inning, his second homer of the campaign. He's in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak, during which he's tallied 12 RBI and seven runs scored. Overall, Margot is hitting .313/.375/.450 across 88 plate appearances on the campaign.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Brandon Lowe - Smacks two homers Lowe went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs, two walks and three runs scored Saturday against the Mariners.

Impact Lowe took Marco Gonzales yard in consecutive plate appearances, bringing his homer total to five on the season. Lowe extended his hitting streak to six games with the effort, though this was his first multi-hit effort in that span. He is still having a subpar start to the season, but he has improved his line to .214/.310/.408 to go along with 11 RBI and 18 runs scored across 113 plate appearances.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Drew Rasmussen - Earns third win Rasmussen (3-1) allowed one earned run on five hits and two walks while striking out five across five innings to earn the win Saturday against the Mariners.

Impact Rasmussen primarily relied on groundballs to keep the Mariners' offense in check. His lone blemish came in the fifth frame when he allowed a leadoff triple to Julio Rodriguez, who came around to score on a subsequent single. Rasmussen has suppressed runs effectively for most of the season, but he's importantly worked at least five innings in each of his last three starts and earned a win on each occasion. He's maintained an impressive 2.89 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with a 26:7 K:BB on the campaign.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jeffrey Springs - Moving into rotation Springs is slated to start or work behind an opener as a primary pitcher in Monday's game in Seattle, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact He'll be moving into the rotation as a replacement for Josh Fleming, who was demoted to Triple-A Durham on Saturday. Springs has gotten off to a hot start out of the Tampa Bay bullpen this season, turning in a 0.69 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB across 13 innings. In his most recent relief appearance Tuesday against the Athletics, Springs built up to 31 pitches over 3.1 scoreless innings. Expect him to be capped around 50 pitches in Monday's appearance, and it could take him an additional two or three outings after that to get stretched out enough to handle a traditional starter's workload.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Mariners enter matchup against the Rays on losing streak

The Seattle Mariners will try to break their six-game skid when they play the Tampa Bay Rays

MAY 8, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lowe goes deep twice to end drought in emphatic fashion SEATTLE -- As the ball flew off his bat, bound for the first row of seats in right-center field, Brandon Lowe took a long look before breaki...

MAY 8, 2022 • MLB.COM

Ryan Yarbrough - Working as traditional starter Yarbrough will start Sunday's game against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Yarbrough was originally expected to follow J.P. Feyereisen in a bulk reliever role, but he will now serve as a traditional starter. Yarbrough struggled in his opening appearance of the season, surrendering five earned runs on six hits and three walks across 2.1 frames Tuesday against Oakland.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

J.P. Feyereisen - No longer starting Feyereisen will no longer open Sunday's game against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Feyereisen was originally slated to serve as the opener ahead of Ryan Yarbrough. Feyereisen last pitched May 6, so he should be available out of the bullpen if needed.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ryan Yarbrough - Following opener Sunday Yarbrough will serve as the bulk reliever Sunday against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact J.P. Feyereisen will open the game and likely cover the first inning or two. Yarbrough will follow him into the contest and should pitch several frames, if effective. Yarbrough made his season debut with the club Tuesday and surrendered five runs on six hits and three walks across 2.1 frames.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

J.P. Feyereisen - Opening Sunday's game Feyereisen will serve as the opener for Sunday's game against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Feyereisen has served as the opener on three occasions this season and has worked a pair of innings on each occasion. It's likely that he'll pitch one or two frames again Sunday prior to giving way to Ryan Yarbrough, who will be the bulk reliever behind Feyereisen.

MAY 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Brandon Lowe homers twice as Rays blast Mariners SEATTLE — The season-high sixth straight win, the happy homecoming for Washington native Drew Rasmussen and the first career grand slam by M...

MAY 8, 2022 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM

Lowe's 2 HRs, Margot's slam send Rays past Mariners 8-2

Brandon Lowe hit two solo homers off Seattle starter Marco Gonzales for the seventh multi-homer game of his career, Manuel Margot hit his first grand slam, and the Tampa Bay Rays w...

MAY 8, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ralph Garza Jr. - Recalled by Rays Garza was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Saturday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact Garza spent one day on the major-league roster in mid-April, giving up three runs in three innings of relief work. He'll get another chance to impress after Josh Fleming was optioned, though he'll likely remain in a low-leverage role.

MAY 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Fleming - Optioned to Triple-A Fleming was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Saturday.

Impact Fleming served as the primary pitcher Friday against the Mariners and allowed two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out one in 2.2 innings. After posting a 6.38 ERA and 1.96 WHIP in 18.1 innings over six appearances (two starts) in the majors, the southpaw will attempt to sort things out in the minors. The Rays haven't indicated who will take Fleming's place in the rotation, but Ralph Garza will likely be a candidate after he was recalled Saturday.

MAY 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Taylor Walls - Resting Saturday Walls will sit Saturday against Seattle, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact Walls hits the bench after starting 10 straight games, a stretch in which he hit just .143/.231/.286. Isaac Paredes will take over at the hot corner.

MAY 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Francisco Mejía - Three hits in return Mejia went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored Friday against the Mariners.

Impact Mejia was in the lineup for the first time since being activated from the COVID-19 list Thursday, which caused him to miss two weeks of action. He showed no signs of rust, knocking a single and coming around to score in his first plate appearance. Though Mejia has started only seven games this season due to his lengthy absence, he has at least one hit in five of those contests.

MAY 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Brandon Lowe - Draws two walks Lowe went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored Friday against Seattle.

Impact Lowe was on base four times -- he was also hit by a pitch -- and drew his first free pass since April 23. He also extended his hitting streak to five games with the effort, though all have been one-hit performances and he has only one RBI and three runs scored in that span. Overall, Lowe is hitting just ..200/.287/.337 across his first 108 plate appearances of the season.

MAY 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

For relief, Rays are calling on 'The Outcasts' Rays Tales | The bullpen group is developing an identity with a run of success, with past failures providing a framework. Plus, rumblings.

MAY 7, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM

LEADING OFF: MLB does rain dance, Rays rolling on road

A day after six major league games were rained out, the weather could still cause scheduling problems in some places this weekend

MAY 7, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS