Rays put 2B Brandon Lowe on 10-day IL with oblique injury

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays put oft-injued second baseman Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain and recalled infielder Niko Goodrum from Triple-A Durham on Friday.

Lowe was hurt on Tuesday swinging a bat in preparation to enter as a pinch hitter.

Injuries limited Lowe to 68 games in 2022 and 109 last year. He hit 39 homers and drove in 99 runs during the 2021 season.

“The only timeframe that I have is that he feels remarkably better than maybe what some other guys have felt (at the same point),” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Amed Rosario and Curtis Mead will get most of the playing time at second base with Lowe's absence.

Two other injured players, outfielder Josh Lowe and shortstop Taylor Walls, are set to join the Rays extended spring program for live batting practice and games.

Josh Lowe, sidelined by a right oblique strain, hit .292 with 20 homers, 83 RBIs and stole 32 bases in 2023.

Walls, a strong defensive player out following hip surgery, hit .201 with 22 stolen bases in 99 games last season.

The Rays injury-depleted rotation, with five members on the IL, got some encouraging news.

Shane Baz, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery and was shutdown with an oblique injury following a simulated game on March 27, is back throwing to hitters.

“He’s still in his build up,” Cash said. “We’re checking boxes with him. Certainly keeping tabs but he feels good and that’s most important.”

Taj Bradley, out with a right pectoral strain, threw a two-inning session on a bullpen mound.

Ace Shane McClanhan is expected to miss the entire season after Tommy John surgery.

The Rays are hopeful that Drew Rasmussen (right elbow internal brace surgery) and Jeffrey Springs (Tommy John surgery) will both be back at some point this season.

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