![Austin Meadows is expected to rejoin the Rays lineup on Friday. [MONICA HERNDON | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//skrL6m7zoIsBxsxjkVriB4KDYc8=/426x0/smart/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/O4AAH4LSIZDOLNBSTAVCVOA65E.JPG "Austin Meadows is expected to rejoin the Rays lineup on Friday. [MONICA HERNDON | Times]")
ST. PETERSBURG — Outfielder Austin Meadows is expected to be activated and back in the Rays lineup for Friday’s series opener against the Yankees.
Meadows was among the Rays top hitters when he strained his right thumb April 20, hitting .351 with six homers, 19 RBIs and a 1.097 OPS. They created roster space Wednesday by sending down rookie Nate Lowe, who hit. 257 with 1 RBI in nine games.
Team officials on Thursday were still sorting out the catching situation, with the potential for starter Mike Zunino to go on the injured list after leaving Wednesday’s game with quad tightness.
Backup Michael Perez is already sidelined with an oblique strain, with Nick Ciuffo called up.
If Zunino is also out for an extended period they will have to make another move, with Anthony Bemboom the most likely in-house candidate for promotion, though that would leave them with a very inexperienced duo.
Ciuffo has played 18 games in the majors and Bemboom, a 29-year-old who signed as a minor-league free agent after spending the previous 2 1/2 seasons at the Triple-A level with the Rockies and Angels has yet to get there.
Contact Marc Topkin at mtopkin@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Rays
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