Rays lose key power hitter to kneecap fracture

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe has been recognized with a correct kneecap fracture, supervisor Kevin Cash instructed reporters (along with Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). He suffered the injury in Thursday’s win over the Los Angeles Angels when he was hit by a Griffin Canning pitch.

It’s one different highly effective progress for Lowe, who’s sadly no stranger to late-season accidents. He missed lots of the second half in 2019 with a bone bruise in his correct leg, although he was ready to return for the playoffs. Lowe missed closing 12 months’s postseason with a recurring once more problem. There’s now an excellent chance he’ll miss the playoffs as soon as extra, with the estimated return timetable solely leaving the potential of a comeback late in a deep run.

Lowe is among the many sport’s larger offensive second basemen. The left-handed hitter has linked on 21 homers in 436 plate appearances, ranking eighth on the place. He’s strolling at a sturdy 11.5 p.c clip and owns a .231/.328/.443 line complete. No matter a fairly extreme strikeout payment and middling batting frequent, he’s an above-average hitter. That’s considerably true in direction of right-handed pitching, whom Lowe has hit at a .241/.335/.478 clip.

Tampa Bay has been dwelling with subsequent to nothing offensively out of the shortstop place at the moment. The group led by Taylor Partitions is hitting .188/.282/.304 this month. They’ll now moreover ought to patch points collectively on the keystone. Isaac Paredes moved over there tonight in direction of the Blue Jays with Curtis Mead stepping in at third base. The Rays have rookie Osleivis Basabe in a utility place, whereas they merely promoted prime prospect Junior Caminero (who didn’t get into the game tonight).

Lowe’s injury occurred yesterday, nevertheless the Rays had a pair of exits from tonight’s contest. Randy Arozarena is day-to-day after leaving with correct quad tightness. They may be in line for a further extended absence from reliever Jason Adam, who acquired right here out inside the ninth inning after feeling aspect tightness.

Adam merely returned after missing three weeks with a left oblique strain. He told Topkin that whereas this discomfort is in a singular house of the oblique, it’s additional painful than the prior strain. He’s doable headed once more to the 15-day injured file. The 32-year-old righty has had one different sturdy season out of Cash’s bullpen, pitching to a 2.67 ERA with a 31.5 p.c strikeout payment in 54 frames.

Tampa Bay is 2 video video games once more of the Baltimore Orioles inside the AL East, pending the outcomes of Baltimore’s sport in Cleveland. The Rays have seven video video games left on the regular-season schedule. They’ll host the Toronto Blue Jays for two additional, play a two-game set in Boston on Tuesday and Wednesday, then wrap up the 12 months with three in direction of the Jays on the Rogers Centre.