Tampa Bay Rays Placing Second Baseman Brandon Lowe on Injured List With Oblique Issue

Brandon Lowe struggled with injuries throughout the past two seasons, and it appears as if the Tampa Bay Rays slugger is in for much of the same in 2024.

Mar 29, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (8) records a hit. / Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Rays are placing second baseman Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list with an oblique issue, The Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin reported Wednesday night.

Lowe has not appeared in a game since Sunday, so the Rays will be able to make the move retroactive to April 8. He underwent an MRI on Wednesday and was ultimately diagnosed with a Grade 1 right oblique strain, per Topkin.

Before he suffered this oblique injury, Lowe had already missed a game due to side tightness back on April 4. He left the Rays' game on April 3 early as a result of the pain, but the MRI came back negative.

#Rays Brandon Lowe frustrated by latest injury, a right oblique strain, that will land him on IL. Also notes on weekend pitching plans potentially shuffled, Snell return, Diaz milestone, Caminero return timeline, more https://t.co/0q8cUnsWIq

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) April 11, 2024

Lowe had a laundry list of injuries in 2023 as well, missing time with a toe bruise, neck stiffness, leg discomfort, lower back inflammation, a herniated disc and a fractured right patella. Elbow, back and shoulder injuries hindered him in 2022.

After missing just 17 games between 2020 and 2021, Lowe will have missed at least 161 games since, depending on how long he spends on the injured list.

Lowe was named an All-Star at the age of 24 in 2019, finishing third in AL Rookie of the Year voting, although even that season was cut short by a right shin contusion and a strained left quad. He placed top 10 in AL MVP voting in 2020 and 2021, establishing himself as key part of the Rays' young core.

Across his first three full seasons, Lowe averaged 39 home runs, 105 RBI and a 5.5 WAR per 162 games while batting .258 with an .870 OPS. In the two-plus seasons since, Lowe is averaging 27 home runs, 86 RBI and a 2.6 WAR per 162 games, hitting .225 with a .735 OPS.

Lowe was batting .185 with a .600 OPS and -0.1 WAR through eight appearances in 2024 before going down with his latest injury.

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