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Rays’ Brandon Lowe sidelined again with back issue

Notes | Slumping second baseman is placed on the injured list for the third time this season, On the plus side, Wander Franco starts both games of the doubleheader.
 
The Rays' Brandon Lowe, seen here on Aug. 4, is back on the injured list with low back discomfort.
The Rays' Brandon Lowe, seen here on Aug. 4, is back on the injured list with low back discomfort. [ CARLOS OSORIO | AP ]
Published Sept. 13, 2022|Updated Sept. 14, 2022

TORONTO — Brandon Lowe is sidelined again, placed on the injured list between games of Tuesday’s doubleheader due to what the Rays are calling low back discomfort.

That would seem to be a concerning development since Lowe missed two months earlier this season with back problems (a stress reaction), returning just before the All-Star break, and this issue is in the same area. The Rays won’t know for sure until Lowe, who was sent back to Florida, is seen by team doctors.

“His back flared up again,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I’m guessing it is similar to last go-around, but I really don’t know that. Until he sees our doctors and they tell him, we won’t have much.”

Lowe has had a rough year, returning to action last week. He was out for 12 days after being hit on the right elbow by a pitch Aug. 26.

Lowe hadn’t gotten a hit since returning Sept. 7 from the elbow issue, and was 0-for-his-last-16 at-bats, 5-for-49 dating to Aug. 9 and 11-for-70 since Aug. 1. Overall he is hitting .221 with eight homers, 25 RBIs and a .691 OPS.

The Rays placed him on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Monday and called up Rene Pinto to serve as a third catcher.

Kevin Herget: Big-leaguer

Kevin Herget, a 31-year-old reliever who spent years in the minor and independent leagues, felt some satisfaction when he finally made it to the majors last month, but in four days with the Rays he didn’t get to pitch.

Herget got another call-up on Monday, and Tuesday completed his dream, working the final 1 2/3 innings of the 7-2 loss in the nightcap.

Herget said he wasn’t as nervous as he expected to be, that “the thinking about it in the bullpen and all the years thinking about it is a lot worse in your head than getting up there and doing it. I felt pretty comfortable.”

And with the balls from his first pitch and first strikeout sitting in his locker, he felt pretty good.

“Obviously, it’s great to get in there, and, I guess, officially call myself a big-leaguer,” he said. “I don’t know if last time I could do that yet. But with this I guess I can.”

Pitching shuffle

The Rays deepened their pitching staff for the doubleheader, adding lefty Josh Fleming to work out of the bullpen and right-hander Yonny Chirinos to start Game 2.

Chirinos was added as the “29th man,” a league provision for doubleheaders, worked four shutout innings and was returned to Triple-A Durham. Fleming took the place of Cooper Criswell, who was returned to Triple-A Durham after his unexpected callup to start Monday.

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Criswell was the “replacement player” for Brooks Raley, who is on the restricted list since he is not vaccinated and did not have to be added to the 40-man roster. Fleming can take his spot, but is subject to the standard rules regarding options.

Drew Rasmussen rejoined the Rays on Tuesday after spending three days at home between starts with his wife, Stevie, and newborn son, Rhett, and is set to start Wednesday. Lefty Shane McClanahan is expected to come off the injured list and start Thursday, having recovered well from the left shoulder impingement that sidelined him Aug. 30.

Miscellany

Wander Franco played both games of the doubleheader at shortstop, going 2-for-8, after being taken out of Sunday’s game in the fourth inning, then left out of Monday’s lineup. Franco said he is “feels good” overall, that his surgically repaired right hand bothers him “a little bit” when he bats right-handed, and he has had to make some adjustments but is “totally fine.” ... Tyler Glasnow, recovering from August 2021 Tommy John surgery, worked 1 1/3 innings in his second rehab outing for Triple-A Durham, allowing one run (after he left), one hit and two walks, striking out two, throwing 16 of 31 pitches for strikes. He also made an errant pickoff throw. ... Rookie Jonathan Aranda got the ball from his first big-league homer and plans to give it to his father. ... The Rays are now 7-14-16 in doubleheaders, having swept their previous three. ... Tuesday was just the sixth doubleheader at the retractable-roofed Rogers Centre, which opened in June 1989 (as the SkyDome) and the third split doubleheader, all in the last 13 months.

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