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Rays journal: Steven Souza Jr. gets extra day off to let hip heal

 
Steven Souza Jr., hugging Mallex Smith after Smith’s solo home run in the eighth inning, feels relief after tests are negative on his injured hip.
Steven Souza Jr., hugging Mallex Smith after Smith’s solo home run in the eighth inning, feels relief after tests are negative on his injured hip.
Published July 22, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG — RF Steven Souza Jr. ran in rightfield before batting practice under the watchful gaze of the Rays training staff and manager Kevin Cash. Afterward, Souza told Cash he could use one more day of rest before playing on the left hip he strained Wednesday in Oakland.

That's what Souza got, for the most part.

An MRI exam taken Thursday did not reveal anything of concern, which was a relief to Souza, who was thinking the injury could be serious despite X-rays taken in Oakland that were negative.

"Yeah, because it was right in the area where I had surgery, it was pretty scary," Souza said. "Anytime you hurt something in the general area where you had surgery, you're going to be scared. I'm very thankful and very blessed it is what it is and we avoided any major hurdles."

Souza, who was injured during the first inning while sliding into second base at the Oakland Coliseum, didn't start Friday against the Rangers but did hit a leadoff single as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning.

He took time Friday afternoon to clarify a comment he made after Wednesday's game, when he questioned the infield dirt in Oakland that he said was "real muddy out there."

"It wasn't the fact that the field, that it was so muddy that caused my injury," he said. "It was definitely my awkward slide. The field was really muddy. That's just me being honest. As you can see I was trying to avoid a tag, and I think because my leg kept going deeper in as I tried to avoid it is what hyperextended it."

Kiermaier closer

Kevin Kiermaier (right hip fracture) reached into his locker Friday and pulled out his cap with the words "quality control coach" printed on a piece of white tape.

"Rest in peace," he said.

Kiermaier promoted himself to that position when he went on the disabled list. And now? "I want to be a centerfielder again."

Kiermaier shagged fly balls in centerfield before the game and participated with his teammates in batting practice. He said he hopes to begin his minor-league rehab assignment this week and return to the team around Aug. 9, when he is scheduled to come off the 60-day disabled list.

Cash said INF Daniel Robertson (neck spasms), who also participated in fielding drills, should begin his rehab assignment this week.

Now they're glad

All those games when the Rays rotation would have paid good money for some run support are starting to pay off for RHP Chris Archer and company.

Archer, who is scheduled to start tonight against the Rangers, was asked if the potential of the offense to score more runs allows him to relax a little more. His answer: No.

His explanation:

"I think pitching a lot of close games my whole career and our careers has helped us. It's made us better pitchers. A tie game is nothing to us. A one-run game is nothing to us, either way, up or down," he said.

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"So if there are five runs on the board, we're not thinking about it. But us not scoring a lot of runs in the past has made us better pitchers."

On the trade front

The Rays continue to talk with teams about potential trades, with the bullpen and a possible bat (or two) the subjects of those talks. The nonwaiver trade deadline is July 31.