X-Rays Spex

A Below Average Rays Fan Blog

Brent Honeywell fractures elbow; Rays roster notes

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RHP Brent Honeywell fractured his elbow during a bullpen session.

Top Tampa Bay Rays prospect, right-hander Brent Honeywell, fractured a bone in his right elbow during a scheduled bullpen session in Port Charlotte and is out for the season. Dr. James Andrews will perform surgery on Monday, in Pensacola, and the team will have a timetable after the procedure. Honeywell was already on the mend from 2018 Tommy John surgery.

The team said the fracture is of the right medial epicondyle — a bone on the inside of the elbow connected to the ulnar collateral ligament, which was repaired during TJ surgery.

Honeywell had already experienced a major setback in his rehabilitation this April when he was put on the shelf temporarily with forearm soreness, which stemmed from nerve irritation in his upper arm. At the time, the Rays were not overly concerned because it was neither structural nor connected to the elbow ligament surgery.

It is a big hit for both team and Honeywell, as he was projected for a big league promotion at some point during the 2019 season. The outlook, however, is now unclear even for the 2020 season.

Roster Update

— Joey Wendle (fractured wrist) and catcher Michael Perez (oblique) were slated to appear in a rehab game with Triple-A Durham, yet the contest was rained out on Saturday.

Interestingly enough, Wendle was going to take the field at shortstop, with Rays manager Kevin Cash saying “when he gets back … we definitely want to have that option.’’

— Called up from Triple-A as the 26th man for the doubleheader, Austin Pruitt, worked in relief in the nightcap and is headed back to Durham.

— After spending seven days on the family medical emergency list, LHP Jose Alvarado will be transferred to the restricted list with the expectation that he will rejoin the team early this week.

— Jose De Leon’s 30-day rehab assignment ended last week, but he was given the first of three potential 10-day extensions for pitchers coming back from Tommy John surgery. So far De Leon is 0-0 with a 3.72 ERA in seven MiLB outings. With Honeywell shelved indefinitely, De Leon could play a crucial role with the Rays as the season progresses.

— Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) wrote that Yonny Chirinos’ dazzling eight-inning start on Friday still might not be enough to officially get him in the starting rotation:

Righty Yonny Chirinos was dazzling again Friday in throwing eight shutout innings, retiring the first 15 hitters for the second time in his last three outings, improving his record to 7-2, 2.87 overall and 4-2, 2.27 in seven starts. But that is still not enough to earn him a promotion to (a) full-time starter, not even just temporarily until Tyler Glasnow returns in July. “We’re still going to make the decision (what’s) best to help us win that game, win that series,’’ manager Kevin Cash said. “And if we feel it’s best to use an opener we’ll continue to do that.’’

— Marc Topkin

TNWN: Rays look to split the series with the Twins

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  • Travis d’Arnaud drove in one of Tampa Bay’s two runs yesterday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays look to avoid losing their first out of division series this afternoon, after dropping their second consecutive game to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, 6-2. They need a win against Minnesota, who has the best record in baseball, to split the four-game series. Tampa Bay has lost just three series this season — two to New York and one to Boston.

The Rays had a hard time capitalizing on early scoring opportunities, ultimately allowing the Twins to slowly extend their lead inning by inning.

I thought we did a pretty good job of getting on base. We just didn’t make the most of the situation. That’s going to happen some nights.

— Kevin Cash

Tampa Bay had opportunities against Twins starter Kyle Gibson. Yet with the exception of Travis d’Arnaud’s two-out, run-scoring single in the second inning, the Rays were held hitless in five other at-bats with runners in scoring position against Gibson in his five innings of work. All told, they left seven on base against the right-hander and finished the game 1-for-8 wRISP (.125 wRISP BA) overall.

The Rays had their best chance to plate runs in the third inning. After Brandon Lowe hit a double, Gibson hit Ji-Man Choi on the left foot and walked Nate Lowe to load the bases. Yet Christian Arroyo grounded out to second to end the inning.

The malaise is due in part to the fact that team has been playing without three of its top hitters: Outfielders Tommy Pham and Avisail Garcia were recovering calf and hamstring injuries (respectively) and infielder Yandy Diaz, who was in Port Charlotte working his way back from the injured list with a bruised left hand.

It’s a little different. We rely on our depth, and when you speak about depth, you’re hopefully talking about one guy coming in, but we’re missing some major presence in our lineup right now.

— Kevin Cash

Reinforcements are on the way through, as Diaz has been activated from the IL after playing in multiple extended Spring Training games in Port Charlotte yesterday. To make room for Diaz on the 25-man roster, Nate Lowe has been optioned back to Triple-A Durham.

Neither Pham nor Garcia will be back in the lineup today going into Monday’s off-day, although they could be available off the bench.

The New What Next

Ryan Yarbrough (4-1, 5.53 ERA) will get the start in the series finale, pitching opposite of former Ray Jake Odorizzi (7-2, 2.16 ERA).

Ryan Yarbrough followed Stanek and fired 3-2/3 scoreless innings, issuing one walk and recording a strikeout. The lefty got out of a second and third none-out jam in the fourth inning by coaxing a pop-up out of Grichuk, a ground ball out to third from Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and whiffing Brandon Drury to put the kibosh on Toronto’s best early scoring opportunity.

Yarbrough had allowed a combined 12 earned runs across his previous three appearances, yet he needed just 53 pitches to finish with his second scoreless effort of the season.

Jake Odorizzi will return to his old stomping grounds after he fired 5-1/3 scoreless innings Sunday, allowing one hit and a walk while striking out nine. The right-hander was dominant once again although a high pitch count prevented him from going very deep. Odorizzi allowed a walk and a single in a 25-pitch third inning but escaped undamaged. He has lowered his ERA to a terrific 2.16 in 58-1/3 frames this season.

Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) wrote about Odorizzi’s recent spate of success:

Odorizzi has not allowed a run in five of his last six starts (3 ER/35.2 IP). One reason is his fastball velocity (92.7 on average) is the highest it’s ever been. Another is that the Twins haven’t allowed him to face a team the third time through the order often (just 42 plate appearance — .788 OPS against).

— Neil Solondz

Odorizzi relies primarily on a whiffy 93 mph four-seam fastball which he runs at the top of the zone and a 93 mph sinker with little sinking action and run, while also mixing in a firm 86 mph split-change with arm-side fade, a 76 mph curveball with sharp downward bite, an 85 mph slider with glove-side cut, and an 87 mph worm-killer cutter. Odorizzi is 0-0 with a 10.38 ERA against his former team but is 21-19 with a 3.38 ERA in 64 starts at Tropicana Field. Key Matchups: Guillermo Heredia (2-7), Kevin Kiermaier (1-3)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs Twins — a series preview

Rays 6/2/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Meadows RF
  2. Diaz DH
  3. B. Lowe LF
  4. Adames SS
  5. Choi 1B
  6. Arroyo 3B
  7. Kiermaier CF
  8. Zunino C
  9. Robertson 2B
  10. Yarbrough LHP

Noteworthiness

— Michael Perez, who has been out more than three weeks with an oblique injury, is to start a rehab assignment.

Rays Injury Update: Diaz and Duffy; Yarbrough recalled from Durham

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  • Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Thursday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

After missing the past two games due to a left-hand contusion, Yandy Diaz was placed on the 10-day Injured List retroactive to Monday, May 20. Taking his spot on the 25-man roster, the Tampa Bay Rays recalled left-hander Ryan Yarbrough from Triple-A Durham.

Diaz left the game Sunday against the Yankees after being hit by a pitch. He was initially classified as day-to-day after X-Rays and CT scans came back negative.

Diaz — who is slashing .256 BA/.339 OBP/.500 SLG/.839 OPS this season with nine home runs, 22 RBI, and 26 runs scored — said he didn’t expect to end up on the IL and obviously is disappointed that he won’t get to play against his former teammates. He is eligible to return from the IL on May 30.

Meanwhile, Yarbrough spent the entire month of May in Durham after posting an 8.10 ERA in his first five appearances of the season with the big league squad. He posted a 2.14 ERA in 21 innings at Triple-A following the demotion, while fanning 30 and walking just three over his four appearances with the Bulls.

Yarbrough will start Thursday night for the Rays.

Finally, third baseman Matt Duffy (hamstring, back) re-aggravated a left hamstring injury in the third inning of a rehab game with Durham on Wednesday. He returned to St. Petersburg for further examination.

Stricken with injuries since Spring Training, Duffy finally appeared to make progress and was slated to return to the lineup as early as Memorial Day, when he was eligible to be activated from the 60-day IL. The infielder completed a pair of rehab games with the Class-A Charlotte Stone Crabs last week and played seven innings in left field for Durham on Tuesday.

While Duffy would have been a welcome addition to a Rays lineup, especially against left-handed pitching, it appears he will be sidelined for a couple more weeks in the very least.

Rays look to split series with Dodgers; IL updates

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Hopefully you enjoyed the light show last night if not the outcome. (Photo Credit: X-Rays Spex)

After a 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night, the Tampa Bay Rays look for a series split tonight. Tampa Bay is in the midst of a two-game losing streak, falling two games behind the Yankees in the American League East.

In the last two games, the Rays have allowed 14 walks and 20 runs. Compare that to the previous two contests, when they had the lowest walk percentage in the American League. Per Neil Solondz (Rays Radio), of the 20 runs allowed, 13 have come with two out.

For the second consecutive day, Yandy Diaz will be out of the lineup after being hit on the hand by a pitch in Sunday’s game in New York. Diaz was a late scratch last night because of discomfort in his injured hand.

His hand is still bothering him. He tried to swing; obviously, it hurt him enough to take him out of the lineup. It’s unfortunate.

— Kevin Cash

Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team has done “a good degree of testing” on the injury, and he doesn’t expect Diaz to go on the injured list (IL).

X-rays, CT scans, everything is negative. It just got him in that boxer’s area where you see a lot of broken bones, but it got him on the fatty part of the palm. It’s just really sore. It’s the bottom hand, [and] it pinched everything there with the knob and all that.

— Kevin Cash

Daniel Robertson will play in his place for the second straight day. More Rays IL news can be in Noteworthiness.

The New What Next

Ryne Stanek (0-1, 3.70 ERA) will open for the Rays, while Yonny Chirinos (5-1, 3.26 ERA) is expected to get the bulk of the work. They’ll be opposed by Rich Hill (1-1, 3.00 ERA)

Ryane Stanek struggled on Sunday in his last outing in relief. Yet, as an opener, he’s given up just four runs over 18-2/3 innings, allowing a run in just two of those 12 outings.

Yonny Chirinos allowed four hits and struck out two over 4-2/3 shutout innings Friday night. Chirinos did his part after Ryne Stanek tossed the first two frames, as he nearly blanked the Yankees for five innings. The right-hander has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his past six appearances, allowing him to carry a 3.26 ERA with a 4.125 K/BB across 47 frames.

Rich Hill tossed six shutout innings while fanning 10 with no walks and two hits on Friday. The veteran southpaw needed just 84 pitches to record 18 outs, which is a pretty incredible seeing that 10 of those outs were punchouts. Through four starts, he is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA, with a 1.05 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts across 21 innings. Hill relies primarily on a whiffy 91 mph four-seam fastball and a 75 mph curveball with exceptional bite and sweeping glove-side movement. He is 2-0 with a 4.82 ERA in 11 career outings (two starts) against the Rays. Key Matchups: Travis d’Arnaud (1-3), Guillermo Heredia (1-2)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs Dodgers — an Interleague series preview

Rays 5/22/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Garcia DH
  2. Pham LF
  3. Choi 1B
  4. Adames SS
  5. Robertson 3B
  6. Kiermaier CF
  7. d’Arnaud C
  8. Heredia RF
  9. Lowe 2B
  10. Stanek RHP

Noteworthiness

— Matt Duffy (hamstring, back) played seven innings last night for the Durham Bulls in left field, going 0-for-4. Duffy is eligible to come off the IL on Monday. He has played third base, shortstop and left field during his rehab assignment to add to his versatility.

He’s getting closer. I’m really encouraged by his last couple days in Port Charlotte. Starting to see the timing at the plate. [He] hit a home run, couple of singles; moving him all over the diamond and playing different spots.

He can’t come off until the 27th at the soonest. Get him a couple of games, get him some reps out there and see how he fits our roster when it’s time for him to come off (the IL).

— Kevin Cash

— Jose De Leon (Tommy John surgery) threw 2-2/3 scoreless innings in Durham last night, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out two. 28 of his 52 pitches went for strikes (54% strike rate).

— Joey Wendle (wrist fracture) received a follow-up X-Ray on his fractured right wrist this afternoon and received good news — the cast is off (and thrown away).

Free to move forward as I can tolerate.

— Joey Wendle

Wendle could start swinging soon.

— Though Tyler Glasnow (forearm strain) hasn’t thrown a baseball since landing on the IL May 11, he did progress to tossing a tennis ball. The right-hander told Juan Toribio (MLB.com) he feels like he has “progressed a lot faster than I thought it would.”

I feel really good. I’ve tested it and thrown a tennis ball. It feels really good. I’m thankful for the trainers. I’ve progressed really fast.

— Juan Toribio

Glasnow is expected to play catch next week, with another test in his recovery expected thereafter.

— Brent Honeywell (Tommy John surgery, nerve issue) was checked again by a team doctor and will rest another week. If all goes well, he will resume throwing next week. Honeywell has been idled since mid-April in his rehab from Tommy John surgery.

Three Rays injured in Wednesday night’s ballgame; one to be placed on the IL

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Catcher Anthony Bemboom was rewarded with a breakout night by getting placed on the IL with a left knee sprain.

In the spirit of the movie Spinal Tap, another Tampa Bay Rays catcher has been bit by the injury bug and will be placed on the Injured List (IL). This time, replacement backstop Anthony Bemboom — in the midst of a career game — left Wednesday night’s contest because of a left knee sprain. Two other players, third baseman Yandy Díaz and outfielder Guillermo Heredia, were also pulled from the game, although their injuries do not necessitate placement on the IL.

After going hitless in his big league debut on Sunday, Bemboom connected with his first big league hit, an RBI double, in the second inning off Jose Urena, which ended up being the decisive run in the Rays’ 1-0 win on Wednesday.

But, after collecting his second hit, Bemboom’s night came to an end in the sixth inning after he suffered a fifth-inning left knee sprain on a move that he said he has made “1,000 times” in his career.

It’s a little tough. Obviously, everything you can do to help the team win is great, and I’m excited about that. But also, anytime you’re not on the field, it’s kind of tough not being able to help your team win and be available.

— Anthony Bemboom

Michael Perez (oblique strain)

Mike Zunino (quad strain)

Anthony Bemboom (left knee sprain)

Bemboom joins Michael Perez and Mike Zunino as the catchers on the IL, and will likely be replaced by Nick Ciuffo on the 25-man roster before the series opener against the Yankees on Friday.

Diaz was pulled from the game in the seventh inning due to left ankle discomfort, which he suffered in the sixth inning as he rounded third base before being stopped by third-base coach Rodney Linares. When the frame ended, trainer Joe Binge and manager Kevin Cash checked on Diaz, although he remained in the game for the time being.

Through a Spanish speaking translator, Diaz said that he felt some discomfort with the ankle, which is the same one that forced him to miss a game earlier this season. He, however, is listed as day-to-day and should be ready to play on Friday.

I feel fine. I’ll be able to play on Friday.

— Yandy Diaz

Heredia left the game with a right hand contusion after being hit by a pitch by Urena in the fifth inning. X-Rays on the injury came back negative, and Heredia is listed as day-to-day.

I feel better now that everything came back negative. The pain goes away, but that’s not something that’ll keep me out of games.

— Guillermo Heredia

There is no word on whether Heredia will available on Friday, or if he will get another day of rest.