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.