UPDATE, 5:25: Pham’s hand was too sore to play so he was scratched from the lineup. Cash he will keep receiving treatment to see if he’s available tonight, and he could be used for defense or, yes, pinch-running. ... Kiermaier is here and set to be activated on Wednesday. He said his previously sprained thumb is "good enough to go,'' but for a few more weeks will limit him from swinging all out, which he said can he a good thing, and that it will be a matter of pain tolerance. ... Brendan McKay is set to be called up Thursday to start. ... Reliever Ryne Stanek (hip) will throw an inning in a rehab game for the Stone Crabs on Wednesday in Bradenton and should be ready to join the team when it returns home on Saturday. ... INF Daniel Robertson (knee) was activated off the IL and optioned to Triple-A Durham, where Cash said he will get a chance to play regularly at second, third and short. ... Cash said INFs Brandon Lowe (leg bruise) and Yandy Diaz (foot bruise) remain limited and still “are aways away” from returning. ... Newly acquired Eric Sogard isn’t in the lineup tonight vs. lefty David Price but will play against pretty much all right-handers, Cash said, mostly at second base and third.Here is the new Rays lineup, with Nate Lowe going in as DH and Meadows going to left to replace Pham:Duffy 3bd’Arnaud 1bMeadows lfGarcia rfBrosseau 2bN. Lowe DHAdames ssHeredia cfZunino cMorton p DEVELOPING : With all the rumors and speculation about the pending trade deadline flying around them, the Rays open another key series against the Red Sox tonight in a battle of teams competing for an AL wild-card spot.The Rays go into play tonight one-half game behind the Red Sox for the second AL wild-card spot, and one-half game ahead of the Red Sox. The Angels are five back of the Rays and the Rangers six. The Indians hold the top spot.The Rays will have their best pitcher on the mound in AL ERA leader Charlie Morton. The Red Sox are starting David Price in a rematch of Wednesday’s game at the Trop the Rays won.The Rays have Tommy Pham in the lineup; his status was in some question when he left Sunday’s game in Toronto with a sprained right hand.Also back is Avisail Garcia, who left Saturday’s game sick and sat out Sunday. New acquisition Eric Sogard, a lefty hitter, is on the bench tonight. Pitcher Hunter Wood’s trade to the Indians on Sunday created roster space.Here is the Rays lineup:Duffy 3bd’Arnaud 1bMeadows dhPham lfGarcia rfBrosseau 2bAdames ssHeredia cfZunino cMorton pAnd here is the Red Sox lineup:Betts RF,Devers 3B,Bogaerts SS,Martinez DH,Benintendi LF,Moreland 1B,Vázquez C,Holt 2B,Bradley Jr. CF,Price P
![Marc Topkin - Rays Reporter](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 50 50"/%3E "Marc Topkin - Rays Reporter")