TAMPA BAY RAYS NEWS

Luis Patiño - Scratched with arm issue Patino was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday against the Red Sox after his arm didn't feel right Monday, John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact On the one hand, any arm injury has the potential to be problematic for a pitcher. On the other, "not feeling right" is about as vague and mild as you can get. Patino will throw batting practice Wednesday, so the Rays don't appear to be significantly concerned at this point, but it's possible he winds up getting shut down if his arm continues to feel off following that session.

MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ryan Thompson - Faces hitters Thompson (shoulder) is scheduled to face hitters in live batting practice Tuesday.

Impact Thompson has yet to make his Grapefruit League debut while he works his way back from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he required last September, but he seems to be making positive progress in his recovery. Now that he's advanced to facing hitters, Thompson could be integrated into the Rays' spring pitching schedule within the next few days. Since he's a reliever who won't need to build up his pitch count substantially over what's left of spring training, Thompson could still have a chance to break camp as a member of the Opening Day bullpen, though a brief stint on the injured list to begin the season remains a possibility.

MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Kevin Kiermaier - Making spring debut Kiermaier (knee/neck) will start in center field and bat sixth in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.

Impact The Rays have slow played Kiermaier's introduction to the spring lineup after he underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery in November. He was also bothered by a sore neck early in camp, but after a few encouraging workouts, he'll make his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday. While Tampa Bay would surely like to offload Kiermaier and his expiring six-year, $53.5 million contract, he'll tentatively head into Opening Day as the Rays' primary center fielder. Though Kiermaier's offense has fallen off considerably since he posted a career-best .788 OPS in 2017 and injuries remain a perennial concern, his elite defense should be enough for him to stick in a large-side platoon role when healthy.

MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Colin Poche - Throws live batting practice Poche (elbow) threw live batting practice Monday, the Tampa Tribune reports.

Impact The 28-year-old hasn't pitched in a competitive setting since the 2019 postseason after undergoing the second Tommy John surgery of his career in July 2020. When he was last healthy during his rookie season in the majors, Poche was one of the top strikeout artists among relievers, whiffing 34.8 percent of the batters he faced. He'll likely need to work his way back at Triple-A to begin the season.

MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Don't panic, but Rays' Shane Baz just had minor elbow surgery Tampa Bay’s top pitching prospect went to Dallas on Monday for arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies and can’t throw for 2-3 weeks.

MARCH 21, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM

Pirates 5, Rays 1

MARCH 21, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Shane Baz undergoes arthroscopic surgery on right elbow Rays prospect Shane Baz underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow on Monday. The procedure was performed by...

MARCH 21, 2022 • MLB.COM

Pirates spring training: The Oneil Cruz show continues in win over Rays Oneil Cruz crushed another massive homer. He continued to be the story of the spring during another Pirates victory.

MARCH 21, 2022 • POST-GAZETTE.COM

Shane Baz - Undergoes arthroscopic surgery Baz underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Baz was in line for a spot in the Rays' starting rotation to begin the season, but he'll now be shut down from throwing for 2-3 weeks following his procedure. Since the right-hander will require time to build up following his shutdown, he'll presumably begin the 2022 campaign on the injured list and will likely head to Triple-A once healthy to essentially simulate his lost spring training. He showed promise in his first taste of major-league action last year, as he posted a 2.03 ERA and 0.68 WHIP in 13.1 innings across three starts. However, Ryan Yarbrough, Josh Fleming and Jalen Beeks will now be candidates for a starting role to begin the regular season.

MARCH 21, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jeffrey Springs - Facing hitters again Springs (knee) is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Monday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact Springs has yet to make his Grapefruit League debut, but his ability to face hitters at this stage in camp seemingly hints that he has a shot at being ready for Opening Day after tearing the ACL in his right knee July 31 of last year and undergoing surgery just over two weeks later. Before getting hurt, Springs had been a key piece out of the Tampa Bay bullpen, tossing 44.2 innings over 43 appearances while submitting a 3.43 and 63:14 K:BB and picking up 10 holds, five wins and two saves. If he gets a clean bill of healthy ahead of the start of the season, Springs will likely slot in as a setup man for Tampa Bay.

MARCH 21, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jalen Beeks - Starting Monday's game Beeks (elbow) is listed as the Rays' starting pitcher for Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact The Rays will likely ask Beeks to cover only one or two innings in what marks his first competitive action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2020. Before sustaining the season-ending injury, Beeks had made 12 appearances out of the Rays' bullpen, but the decision to have him start Monday could signal that the organization plans to have him work as a starter at Triple-A Durham to begin the 2022 campaign.

MARCH 21, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

The skill propelling Wander to stardom Wander Franco stepped to the plate for the first time on June 22 of last season, 20 years old at the time and baseball's No. 1 prospect, and...

MARCH 21, 2022 • MLB.COM

Twins 3, Rays 0

MARCH 21, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

John Romano: What do you do when the shortstop in front of you is Wander Franco? FORT MYERS, Fla. — At least Taylor Walls is close to his dream. Roughly 25 feet away, if you’re measuring.

MARCH 21, 2022 • KANSASCITY.COM

Twins beat Rays 3-0 for first Grapefruit League victory Derek Fisher homered and a string of pitchers combined for the shutout of Tampa Bay.

MARCH 20, 2022 • STARTRIBUNE.COM

Glasnow has ankle surgery, won't throw for 2-3 weeks PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Rays ace Tyler Glasnow , working his way back from Tommy John surgery, underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loo...

MARCH 20, 2022 • MLB.COM

Tyler Glasnow - Recovering from ankle procedure Glasnow (elbow) underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right ankle Friday and is expected to resume his throwing program in 2-to-3 weeks, Neil Solondz of th...

Impact Glasnow is recovering from Tommy John surgery in early August, and the ankle procedure should only push back his throwing program by a few weeks. The 28-year-old officially landed on the 60-day injured list Thursday and could make a return late in the season, though it's not guaranteed he'll pitch in 2022.

MARCH 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Walls preparing to step up at (fill in the blank) FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When the Rays traded Joey Wendle to the Marlins on Nov. 30, two competing thoughts raced through Taylor Walls ’ mind. Fi...

MARCH 20, 2022 • MLB.COM

Mike Zunino - Rays use pitch-calling device Zunino and the Rays are trying out a new pitch-calling device, according to Adam Berry of MLB.com. The team raved about the system called PitchCom in an attempt to "improve the pac...

Impact On Saturday, Zunino and pitcher Phoenix Sanders used the system, with Brandon Lowe also involved in the communication. Although the pitch-calling device isn't necessarily fantasy-relevant, it's another piece of information to consider as the game of baseball evolves. If the pace of play increases with its usage, maybe it leads to changes with balls in play, fatigue, shifts or other unforeseen outcomes.

MARCH 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Rays 4, Braves 4

MARCH 19, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ryon Healy - Signs minors deal with Rays Healy signed a minor-league contract with the Rays on Saturday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Impact Healy has shown power but not enough else through parts of five MLB seasons, as his .261/.298/.450 slash line adds up to a 101 wRC+, a number which isn't good enough for a regular at a corner infield position. He left for Korea in an attempt to resuscitate his career last season, but he couldn't even last the full year with the Hanwha Eagles, who cut him after he hit .257/.306/.394 with just seven homers in 67 games. It's possible the Rays work their magic and turn him into a platoon bat, but the more likely outcome is he fails to make the team.

MARCH 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Wander laughs at prank, parks 'really far' from boss' spot PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- First things first: Wander Franco did not back his white Range Rover into president of baseball operations Erik Ne...

MARCH 19, 2022 • MLB.COM

The feeling Rays' Shane McClanahan never wants to have again What stung most about faltering in the ALDS clincher was the failure to help the team.

MARCH 19, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM

Red Sox 7, Rays 6

MARCH 19, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Notes: Yarbrough shows increased velocity PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough isn’t about to start lighting up radar guns like some other pitchers in Rays camp, but hi...

MARCH 18, 2022 • MLB.COM