APRIL 8, 2022 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
TAMPA BAY RAYS 80-82 · 4TH IN AL EAST
80-82 · 4TH IN AL EAST
Rays rally to beat Orioles, make opening day a party ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — All the traditional signs of opening day were in place at Tropicana Field on Friday afternoon. The bunting was hung,...
Wander Franco has 3 hits, Rays win opener over Orioles 2-1 Budding star Wander Franco had three hits, Francisco Mejía snapped an eighth-inning tie with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly and the AL East champ...
APRIL 8, 2022 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Wander Franco has 3 hits, Rays win opener over Orioles 2-1
Budding star Wander Franco had three hits, Francisco Mejía snapped an eighth-inning tie with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly and the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Or...APRIL 8, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dead split-season plan, future stadium still on minds of Rays fans The proposed sister city plan with Montreal still rankles, but these fans, at least, seem open to a stadium on either side of the bridge.
APRIL 8, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM
Orioles fall to Rays, 2-1, in season-opening pitchers' duel After a strong start by John Means and impressive debuts from some new faces in the Orioles bullpen, the Rays scored the go-ahead run in the...
APRIL 8, 2022 • BALTIMORESUN.COM
At Tampa Bay Rays game, check out the shoes on Joey Krehbiel The Orioles relief pitcher is a Seminole High graduate and former Ray who enlisted an Eckerd College artist to design his cleats.
APRIL 8, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM
Ji-Man Choi - Sits against southpaw Choi will sit for Friday's game against the Orioles with lefty John Means on the mound, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact Choi is a career .179/.275/.282 hitter against lefties, and the Rays like their platoons, so he's unlikely to start against many southpaws this season. Harold Ramirez will get the start at first base Friday.
APRIL 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Taylor Walls - Not starting Opening Day Walls will be on the bench for Friday's game against the Orioles, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact Walls is a switch hitter who performed nearly identically against righties and lefties in his 54-game debut last year. He'll hit the bench here against lefty John Means, with Yandy Diaz sliding to third base and Harold Ramirez starting at first, though it's too early to say whether that will be the Rays' default plan against every southpaw.
APRIL 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Josh Lowe - Serving as designated hitter Lowe will bat seventh and serve as the designated hitter in Friday's season opener against Baltimore, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact It's rare to see someone capable of playing center field stuck in a designated hitter role, but the Rays will roll with a trio of strong defensive outfielders in Randy Arozarena, Kevin Kiermaier and Manuel Margot for their first game of the year, leaving no room for Lowe. The fact that they want Lowe's bat in the lineup anyway, even against the left-handed John Means, is an encouraging sign for the rookie's playing time. Lowe hit .291/.381/.535 with 22 homers and 26 steals in 111 games for Triple-A Durham last season and should be able to contribute across the board if he's given enough at-bats.
APRIL 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Xavier Edwards - Dealing with shoulder issue Edwards has been diagnosed with a shoulder impingement, but the Rays hope he can return to the field by late April, Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline reports.
Impact Edwards suffered the injury in early March, which kept him out of game action for all of spring training. His absence will now extend into the minor-league regular season, though the team plans for him to return to the lineup with Triple-A Durham in the next few weeks. Edwards is a strong prospect based on an above-average hit tool and excellent speed, but he is blocked by the likes of Wander Franco and Brandon Lowe at the big-league level.
APRIL 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Nick Anderson - Opens season on 60-day IL The Rays placed Anderson (elbow) on the 60-day injured list March 25.
Impact The transaction is merely a formality, as Anderson is expected to be sidelined for the majority of the 2022 season while he recovers from the right elbow surgery he underwent last October. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Anderson had been throwing off flat ground from 60 feet as of late February, but it's unclear if he's advanced to mound work yet or when he might be able to do so.
APRIL 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
John Romano: Have the 2022 Rays solved the one flaw in their ingenious plan? ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In some ways, the Rays have perfected the 40-man roster. That might be an exaggeration, but only slightly.
APRIL 7, 2022 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
Shane Baz - Placed on injured list Baz (elbow) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, radio broadcaster Steve Carney reports.
Impact Baz underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow March 21, and he's in the midst of a shutdown from throwing. The 22-year-old will need time to build up once he resumes throwing, and he'll likely report to Triple-A Durham to essentially replicate a spring training progression. A better timetable for Baz's return should come into focus once he's cleared to begin a throwing program.
APRIL 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Brendan McKay - Goes on 60-day IL Tampa Bay recalled McKay from Triple-A Durham on Thursday and placed him on the 60-day injured list, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact The team didn't provide a specific explanation behind McKay's placement on the IL, but he presumably needs additional time to advance through his throwing program while he works his way back from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, which he underwent last November. Solondz reported March 17 that McKay considered himself fully healthy at the start of spring training, but he never appeared in any Grapefruit League games before being optioned to the minors. It's unclear if McKay suffered a setback at some point, or if the Rays were merely withholding the lefty from game action as a matter of caution.
APRIL 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Pete Fairbanks - Heads to 60-day IL Fairbanks (lat) was placed on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact Fairbanks is expected to miss at least three months after he was diagnosed with a 50 percent tear of his lat muscle last week. Andrew Kittredge is a favorite to see save chances to begin the year, while a better timetable for Fairbanks' return will likely come into focus once his six-week shutdown concludes.
APRIL 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Ralph Garza Jr. - Scooped up by Rays The Rays claimed Garza off waivers from the Red Sox on Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Garza has now been scooped up off waivers by three different organizations in the past eight months, with his stop with the Rays preceded by stints with the Twins and Red Sox. The Rays cleared room for Garza on the 40-man roster by recalled Brendan McKay from Triple-A Durham and then placing him on the 60-day injured list while he continues his recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. Garza will provide the Rays with another right-handed arm capable of covering multiple innings out of the bullpen, though he's unlikely to immediately take hold of a high-leverage role.
APRIL 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
MLB odds: Win total over/unders for every team
Baseball is back! Here is a look at every team's win total over/under for the 2022 MLB season courtesy of FOX Bet.APRIL 7, 2022
Chris Mazza - Wins roster spot Mazza will break camp in the big-league bullpen, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact The 32-year-old entered camp as a non-roster invitee but has secured a spot on the active roster. He owns a 4.89 ERA and an 18.9 percent strikeout rate in 73.2 major-league innings, so he's unlikely to see high-leverage work.
APRIL 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Five things we learned from Orioles spring training ' ANALYSIS Before Baltimore opens the season against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, here’s a look at some of what we learned about the Orioles this spri...
APRIL 7, 2022 • BALTIMORESUN.COM
Colby White - Undergoing Tommy John surgery White was placed on the 7-day injured list Tuesday and will undergo Tommy John surgery.
Impact White had a strong 2021 campaign in which he progressed from Low-A to Triple-A, but he'll be forced to miss the entire 2022 season following his procedure. He made nine appearances at Triple-A Durham last year, posting a 1.86 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 9.2 innings, and he'll attempt to build upon his success at some point in 2023.
APRIL 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
MLB 2022: How extra wild card alters outlook for Blue Jays, Angels, Phillies, more
With six wild-card spots, which teams have a chance to contend for the postseason this year? Jordan Shusterman takes an early look.APRIL 6, 2022
Phillies 9, Rays 2
APRIL 6, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Phillies Demolish Rays in Final Spring Training Contest The Philadelphia Phillies traveled to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field for their final contest of the spring on Wednesday.
APRIL 6, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
'This is a crazy game': Lowe ready to join Rays after initial doubt ST. PETERSBURG -- The Durham Bulls had just landed in Nashville on Monday night when Josh Lowe received a call from Rays infielder Taylor Wa...
APRIL 6, 2022 • MLB.COM
Luke Raley - Sent down Wednesday Raley was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact Raley was traded from the Dodgers to the Rays in mid-March, but he was unable to land a spot on the Opening Day roster. He'll likely be a candidate to fill in as depth in the outfield at some point in 2022.
APRIL 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
