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Rays journal: A few housewarming gifts for Charlie Montoyo

Tampa Bay brings plenty of team swag, just in case the Blue Jays manager needs a Christmas gift or five.
 
Former Ray Charlie Montoyo "was very passionate about the giveaways at the Trop," Rays manager Kevin Cash says. So the team made sure he wouldn't miss out now that he's in Toronto. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
Former Ray Charlie Montoyo "was very passionate about the giveaways at the Trop," Rays manager Kevin Cash says. So the team made sure he wouldn't miss out now that he's in Toronto. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
Published April 13, 2019|Updated April 13, 2019

TORONTO — In advance of facing Charlie Montoyo for the first time as manager of the Blue Jays, the Rays lavished praise on their former longtime minor-league manager and big-league coach.

“He’s sorely missed,’’ manager Kevin Cash said Friday, “but it’s exciting to be playing against him.’’

Before that, they presented him with a load of gifts.

Those came with a bit of an edge.

When Montoyo arrived to his Rogers Centre office, dozens of previous Rays promotional items were spread over his desk, couch and locker: a Kevin Kiermaier lunch bag, bobbleheads, the DJ Kitty head and slippers, plenty of others.

“Charlie was very passionate about the giveaways at the Trop. … He made sure he always had enough,’’ Cash said. “We wanted to make sure he had all of his Christmas gifts aligned.’’

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Montoyo made a show during the media session in his office of saying he had no interest and offered them to reporters.

Cash wasn’t buying it.

“I promise you whatever’s left in that office, he’ll take it home,’’ he said. “That was a gesture to say, “I don’t really care,” but he was hoping — like that Blake Snell bobblehead — that nobody took it, because that’s a really nice gift in his household.’’

Montoyo, who said the Rays are his “friends,’’ promised revenge: “There’s going to be something in their clubhouse (Saturday), I’ll tell you that much. I’ve got to think about it. They drew the first blood.’’

First things first

With Austin Meadows’ leadoff homer, the Rays scored in the first inning for a franchise-high seventh straight game, the longest such streak for an American League team since the 2006 Indians. … The Rays have outscored opponents 18-1 in the first, and the 18 runs are the most of any team.

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Wendle improving

Infielder Joey Wendle (hamstring) had a good day running Friday at the Trop and is tentatively set to begin a short rehab or extended spring assignment in Port Charlotte on Wednesday or Thursday with the idea of rejoining the Rays for the weekend series vs. Boston. … Saturday is a big day for Tommy John-rehabbing pitcher Jose De Leon, who gets to throw in a game for the first time since before being hurt in spring training 2018. He’s slated for one inning or 25 pitches in extended spring.

Miscellany

• Tommy Pham singled in the sixth, extending his team-record streak of reaching base to 46 games, longest in the majors since Texas’ Shin-Soo Choo did 52 last year.

• In his first start at Double A, Brendan McKay dazzled, striking out 11 of 18 batters, allowing two hits and one walk over 4⅔, throwing 71 pitches.

• MLB released photos of caps and socks for upcoming special-event days, with old-school logos on the red, white and blue Fourth of July weekend caps. For details, see them here.

• It’s narrow parameters, but the Rays are the fifth team in the past 10 years to double their opponents’ runs through the first 13 games, 58-26. What’s interesting is that the other four all made the playoffs: 2009 Dodgers, ’12 Rangers, ’13 Braves, ’16 Cubs.