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Rays reduce roster by 10; 3/10/19 pregame notes

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  • Christian Arroyo was one of 10 players cut from the Spring roster on Saturday. (Photo Credit: The Ray Tank https://raytank.mlblogs.com)

Prior to Saturday’s contest against the Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays made their first cuts of the Spring, reducing their roster by 10. The Rays optioned five players to the Minor League camp and reassigned five others. The Rays now have 57 players left in camp.

The Rays’ Spring roster now includes 31 pitchers, five catchers, 14 infielders and seven outfielders.

The five players optioned were infielder Christian Arroyo, who would be among the candidates to take Matt Duffy’s place on the active roster if he is not ready to start the season; hurlers Ian Gibaut and Brent Honeywell; and outfielders Joe McCarthy and Jesus Sanchez. It should be noted that Gibaut, Honeywell, and McCarthy are all coming back from injury.

Rays manager Kevin Cash spoke of Arroyo in superlatives, saying:

Given what he went through last year with his injury, it’s time to get him down (to Triple-A) and get him some consistent reps. Christian handled the conversation really, really well. We still think highly of him.

— Kevin Cash

Honeywell is eyeing a late May return to active duty, and could make an impact on the big-league roster as early as June.

Five players were reassigned to the minors: infielder Lucius Fox, reliever Matt Krook, pitcher Dalton Moats, catcher David Rodriguez, and reliever Curtis Taylor. All of whom were invited to big-league camp

The New What Next

After a wild 17-15 contest against Baltimore, the Rays are back in action at home where they will face the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. Casey Sadler will get the start for Tampa Bay. Ryan Yarbrough — who missed time with groin tightness — Jose Alvarado, Diego Castillo, Emilio Pagan and Ryne Stanek also are expected to pitch.

Rays 3/10/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Meadows LF
  2. Zunino DH
  3. Choi 1B
  4. Garcia RF
  5. Wendle 2B
  6. Diaz 3B
  7. Robertson SS
  8. Perez C
  9. Heredia CF
  10. Sadler RHP

Noteworthiness

— Brandon Lowe continued his strong Spring campaign on Saturday, going 2-for-3, including a mammoth 448-foot home run off Dylan Bundy in the second inning.

The homer matched the distance of the one hit by Nate Lowe during the February 27 game against the Red Sox.

That was the first thing I asked when I got into the dugout. I found (Nate) and I asked who’s went further. He laughed and of course said his, so I had to believe him.

— Brandon Lowe

Lowe is now hitting .462 with two home runs this Spring.

— Keon Wong also went yard, hitting one of seven total homers on Saturday.

https://twitter.com/RaysBaseball/status/1104490536591867904

Rays drop first game of 2019 Knutson Cup, 10-5

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The Tampa Bay Rays fell to an old friend, Rocco Baldelli, on Saturday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays dropped the first of many against Rocco Baldelli’s Minnesota Twins on Saturday, 10-5. In spite of the loss, Jake Faria and Emilio Pagan were among the bright spots for Tampa Bay. Both hurlers threw scoreless baseball and were efficient across 2-2/3 innings.

Jake Faria threw 1-2/3 innings of scoreless baseball Saturday night.

Faria posted the longest outing of the night, tossing 1-2/3 perfect innings while punching out three. The right-hander hit 93 miles per hour with his fastball after coming in relief of Ryan Yarbrough, who could not make it out of the first inning.

Faria was pleased with his outing, saying he stayed within himself, while also working on pitching out of the stretch.

I feel like I was able to carry over the stuff from the beginning of camp in my bullpens and live BP, and even improve on it a little bit.

— Jake Faria

Pagan also made his Spring (and Rays) debut, pitched the fourth inning, working a 1-2-3 frame with a pair of strikeouts.

Pagan looks very good, yeah. Very crisp. It kind of follows suit with every time I’ve seen him throw a baseball … bullpen, live BP, and now in a game. He looks good.

— Kevin Cash

Both Faria and Pagan followed Yarbrough, who had a difficult time putting batters away early in the count. In fact, he had a difficult time putting batters away, period. The left-hander collected just one out, allowed three singles, and was charged with four runs (two earned).

Yarbrough felt he nibbled a bit too much at times.

…It is a little frustrating to kind of go out there the first outing, but at the same time I kind of have an idea of what I need to work on, and there’s still some time to make some adjustments.

— Ryan Yarbrough

Even though Jalen Beeks allowed a third inning three-run home run to Byron Buxton, the right-hander showed impressive velocity, hitting 94 miles per hour with his fastball.

Tampa Bay did have three extra-base hits in the first two innings, including a run-scoring double by Brandon Lowe, and a two-run double by Austin Meadows, who got an early look in the leadoff spot.

Brandon Lowe, who is vying for a platoon spot at first base, made his first appearance there since youth league. He made the plays, although he did not looking comfortable.

It’s going to take a little while.

— Kevin Cash

The New What Next

The Rays will host the Yankees on Sunday afternoon in Port Charlotte. Tyler Glasnow will start for Tampa Bay, pitching opposite of Jonathan Loaisiga. Glasnow will likely to unveil the new pause he has incorporated into his delivery. Yonny Chirinos and Ryne Stanek are also slated to pitch.

Rays 2/24/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Meadows DH
  2. Pham LF
  3. Choi 1B
  4. Diaz 3B
  5. Heredia CF
  6. Adames SS
  7. Zunino C
  8. Bonifacio 2b
  9. Velasquez RF
  10. Glasnow RHP

Noteworthiness

— Kevin Cash said Avisail Garcia is on track for a Wednesday Spring debut. They, however, don’t have a date yet for Matt Duffy’s return; he had left hamstring tightness.

— Cash said the blister on Kiermaier’s right heel “nasty,” to the point where he played catch barefoot on Saturday. He may not play for another day or two.

That is Kevin Kiermaier’s heel, by the by.

Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training, days eight and nine

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Tyler Glasnow (right) threw a requisite spring bullpen session on Tuesday, which included a noticeable pause in his delivery. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

On Wednesday, Yandy Diaz stepped into the batter’s box, while Jalen Beeks, Hoby Milner, and Emilio Pagan threw live batting practice. And with just one more full-squad workout before the start of the Grapefruit League season, on Friday, Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash believes his group is ready to begin playing games.

Cash clarified the workout schedule leading into the weekend, saying the team will have a light workout on Thursday, then open exhibition play on Friday against the Phillies.

The skipper also specified his plans regarding Charlie Morton, Blake Snell, and Jose Alvarado — all of whom threw bullpen sessions on Wednesday. Cash will limit the workload of the number one and two hurlers in exhibition games, as well as the presumed closer.

Alvarado’s (2018 workload) was real high, we have to really manage him. In my opinion if Alvarado threw five times off the mound this spring that would be more than enough because he’s such a big part and we want to keep him as fresh as possible.

— Kevin Cash

Snell and Morton will throw live batting practice on Saturday, with both slated to into games next week.

Right-hander Austin Pruitt will start Friday’s Grapefruit League opener, while Ryan Yarbrough, Jalen Beeks, and Jake Faria are set to pitch against the Twins on Saturday.

Pagan’s live batting practice was his first of the Spring. The right-hander continues to work a curveball and a changeup to complement his fastball/slider combination.

The team also worked on pop-up and fly ball drills, not to mention grounders that the infielders took.

On Tuesday, Glasnow unveiled a slight pause in his delivery that he plans to take into the season as a means to make his delivery more consistent. The righty noted an improvement in both his spin rate and velocity.

Glasnow told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) the pause allows him to control his hips better, to “get into a better patterning.’’

He also said the hesitation will disrupt the hitters’ timing and will pair well Glasnow’s standard delivery as well as his new quick step move he has been working on.

I’ve been able to mix them really well. Talking to hitters today … I know it was kind of throwing some guys off a little bit. So messing with my timing a little bit this year was a good idea.

— Tyler Glasnow

The Rays are reportedly on board with the change.


Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training, day seven

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In spite of foggy conditions in Port Charlotte, the Rays took the field on the first day of full-squad workouts. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Amid high expectations following a wildly successful 2018 campaign, the Tampa Bay Rays took the field in Port Charlotte Monday morning for the first full-squad workout.

Things started off with a team meeting led by manager Kevin Cash, whose message was straight forward.

We’ve got work to do, we’ve got to get better. We are a good team, but there is work to be done.

— Kevin Cash

Veteran centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier iterated a similar missive to the other 65 players in attendance.

I’m not trying to hype us up or anything but given the talent and depth and versatility, we’re in a very dangerous position, and that’s a compliment towards us. At the end of the day though we need to go out there and do what we need to do and back up all this talk and expectations. It’s a fun thing to think about. And that’s why I’m excited to take the field with these guys.

— Kevin Kiermaier

From there, the position players took to the batting cages on the back fields of Charlotte Sports Park, while the pitchers threw their requisite bullpen sessions and live batting practice. Among them were Oliver Drake, Austin Pruitt, and Ryne Stanek.

Stanek hit 99 mph in his first live bullpen session to hitters, some of which had not seen velocity like that since last season.

No judgement passed whatsoever; probably more laughing than anything else.

— Kevin Cash

Cash was pleased by the work the players, both rostered and non-rostered, put in on Monday.

It was good to see all the guys, it really was. The first day, the energy was good. … Awesome to put some faces and names together.

— Kevin Cash

Noteworthiness

— Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times), new catcher Mike Zunino said he’ll give up some live BP at-bats next few days to spend more time catching so he can get familiarized with as many pitchers as possible.

— As I wrote yesterday, reliever Ian Gibaut said an MRI exam on a right lat strain showed “everything was intact.” Gibaut is not expected to throw for the next few days, and there is no timetable for when he will retake the mound. Cash said they will know more after he sees a specialist in New York to look over the results.

— Principal owner Stuart Sternberg, as well as his son Sandy, were on hand to watch the workout.

— In an MLB spring media event in West Palm Beach on Sunday, Commissioner Rob Manfred said Major League Baseball and the Rays ownership group “remain focused” on finding a solution to the stadium stalemate in the Tampa Bay market. Manfred said they “are going to turn over every last stone and possibility” to do so, noting that the focus was back on St. Petersburg. “We feel that the commitment to our fans in those existing markets is a really important one,” he said.

Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training, day six

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Next stop: Full squad workouts on Monday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The last day of pitcher-catcher workouts is in the books. With the arrivals of outfielders Tommy Pham and Jesus Sanchez, shortstop Jesus Sanchez and Yandy Diaz, the Tampa Bay Rays have all 66 players in camp before the first full-squad workout Monday morning. All of the players participated in administrative activities, including photo day on Sunday.

Photo day included some fun and posed shots. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough reportedly did a bit where he maneuvered an Oreo from his forehead to his mouth without using his hands.

Hidden talent I didn’t know I had.

— Ryan Yarbrough
https://twitter.com/RaysBaseball/status/1097190088000323584
https://twitter.com/RaysBaseball/status/1097229839386451968

Diaz, who was acquired from Cleveland in the Jake Bauers trade, made the biggest splash along with, in Marc Topkin’s (Tampa Bay Times) words, his well-muscled arms.

Wow! I was just talking to a couple guys about that. How is he that big?

— Willy Adames

Diaz said through team translator Manny Navarro that he is excited to be in Tampa Bay after being traded from Cleveland.

I feel happy since I’m going to have more opportunities here to showcase my talent and I’m happy to be here and help the team in whatever way I can.

— Yandy Diaz

Diaz is slated to platoon first base with either Brandon Lowe or Ji-Man Choi, although he can also could play third base or in the outfield.

Last year I played a good amount of first base and I felt comfortable. This year, I’m going to focus more on my defense and play the entire time at first base.

— Yandy Diaz

Several pitchers did throw bullpens, including Blake Snell, Charlie Morton, and relief pitcher Emilio Pagan.

Rays manager Kevin Cash was again impressed with Pagan’s bullpen session, as well as those by side-arming southpaws Adam Kolarek and Hoby Milner.

Reliever Ian Gibaut said an MRI exam on a right lat strain showed “everything was intact.” Gibaut is not expected to throw for the next few days, and there is no timetable yet. Cash said they will know more after a specialist looks at the results.

The New What Next

The first full-squad workout starts on Monday morning at 11:00 a.m. and lasts 2-2½ hours at the Charlotte Sports Park. The day starts with the first live batting practice sessions of camp.