Some good news for Tampa Bay Rays fans despite the current five-game losing streak is that some key players could be coming back from injuries soon. Names like Souza Jr and Cobb should make fans excited that this team, if they can just tread water leading up to the All Star Break in a few weeks, may be able to make another second-half push towards their first post-season birth since 2013.
Outfielder, Steven Souza Jr, who’s been on the DL with a hip strain, had an MRI on Monday and the team hopes to have him back by the next homestand that begins Monday against Boston.
Righty, Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery), has made some very promising progress as he threw live batting practice before Saturday’s game against the Giants. He’s scheduled to throw a bullpen Tuesday and then another live batting practice on Friday. The timetable for Cobb is slated for late July/early August for his return to the Rays rotation.
Chase Whitley, another pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery, is a week behind Cobb but is expected to throw live batting practice on Friday, as well.
Outfielder Brandon Guyer is recovering from an oblique injury and will be among those hitting at live batting practice on Friday facing Cobb and Whitley.
Reliever Brad Boxberger, also nursing an oblique injury, played some catch on Monday and is slated to throw off a mound in a couple weeks.
Gold and Platinum Glove-winner, Kevin Kiermaier, is recovering from a fractured hand and could be swinging a wooden dowel sometime this week.
On Monday up in Cleveland, the Rays may be looking at two more players heading to the DL depending on the evaluations over the next 24 hours or so. Outfielder, Mikie Mahtook, fractured his hand after being hit by a pitch in the second inning of Monday’s game. An even bigger loss would be INF Steve Pearce who could be headed to the DL with a hamstring injury after pulling up in pain on a fly ball in the ninth inning. Mahtook will be evaluated Tuesday in St. Petersburg while Pearce has told the media he’s on a “wait and see” basis right now.
More updates on your Rays injuries and injury progress as they come down.
(Information in this article is per MLB.com’s Bill Chastain on raysbaseball.com)
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