ST. PETERSBURG — Rays outfielder Josh Lowe made a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth inning of the Rays’ 4-1 loss to the Orioles Friday night, a good sign after he left Thursday’s game in St. Louis with a contusion under his right knee.
Lowe is expected to be back in the lineup Saturday, manager Kevin Cash said.
“I feel much better (Friday). I am pretty encouraged by how I woke up and moved around a little bit on the field (Friday),” Lowe said before the game. “So, hopefully I will just get a little bit of rest (Friday). Maybe I will be available off the bench. We’ll see after a few more workouts, and we’ll go from there.”
While Lowe seems to have avoided a serious setback, the injury had to be frustrating in a season of stops and starts for him. He was sidelined in spring training by a hip injury, and then an oblique strain caused him to miss the first 35 games of the season.
Due to the way the Rays make their lineups, Lowe already has off days built into his schedule because they do not use him against left-handed starters. This season, his longest stretch has been 11 straight games.
After a breakout 2023 season in which he hit .292 with 33 doubles, 20 homers, 83 RBIs, 32 stolen bases and an .835 OPS in 135 games, it’s been tough for Lowe to get untracked this season. In 60 games, he is batting .235 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs, 10 steals and a .702 OPS.
As luck would have it, Lowe’s latest setback comes just a few games after he went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs and three RBIs in a 6-1 win over the Astros Saturday in Houston.
“I think the biggest thing has been timing,” Lowe said. “It’s such a game of timing, and it’s hard to maintain when you’re not out there.”
Changing places
Brandon Lowe made his seventh career start at first base and first since Sept. 6, 2021 at Boston. Against an Orioles lineup filled with strong left-handed hitters, it was like diving into the fire.
“Uncomfortable with all the lefties, especially with the lefties they have in that lineup,” he said. “I mean, they don’t have a single guy that didn’t hit the ball really well. But, I mean, once I got the first ground ball kind of out of the way and I’m covering first base for the first time, it kind of helped settle me in. Sort of like, ‘I remember how to do this, and we’re good now.’
“But it’s weird. It’s a new point of view. Ground balls look different. You know you’re much more in tune on every single play. You’ve always got to be going somewhere, which is a little bit different from what I’m used to, but I was able to kind of settle in and understand what I was supposed to be doing.”
Cash said it was a necessity of the current roster situation after the Rays traded Isaac Paredes, who could fill in at first base.
“That’s a big ask from Brandon,” Cash said. “He’s done it years ago. But, given where our roster kind of turned out after the deadline, we’re not going to ask (Yandy Diaz) to play out there every single day.”
Lowe made a nice play on a Gunnar Henderson ground ball in the third inning, backhanding the ball and making a good lead toss leading Zack Littell to the bag.
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Explore all your optionsRehab report
Right-hander Ryan Pepiot (right knee infection) is headed to Double-A Montgomery to pitch in a rehab game Saturday. He is expected to throw 65-75 pitches. … Infielder/outfielder Richie Palacios is still experiencing symptoms from his sprained right knee but is improving daily. … Right-hander Jacob Waguespack (right rotator cuff inflammation) had injections in his back, and “the hope is he’ll throw a side next Tuesday,” Cash said. … Shane McClanahan (hybrid Tommy John surgery) threw a bullpen session and is expected to get back on the mound on Tuesday. He is not expected to pitch this season.
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