Rays Lose Top-Hitter Harold Ramirez to Thumb Fracture
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The hits just keep coming for the Tampa Bay Rays, and the latest hit was a ball to the thumb of Harold Ramirez. He was hit by a pitch in the first inning of Sunday's game with the Baltimore Orioles, and X-rays showed a fracture in the thumb.
The Rays said he will be evaluated again in two weeks.
Tampa Bay has been decimated by injuries all season. They currently have 15 players on the injured list, second in the majors behind the Cincinnati Reds (18) and most in the American League over the Minnesota Twins (12).
The Rays have 11 pitchers on the injured list, tied with the Washington Nationals for second in the majors behind the Reds (13). The Rays have four position players on the injured list, matching the combined total from the other four AL East clubs. The four hitters were all in the Opening Day lineup as the starting catcher (Mike Zunino), shortstop (Wander Franco), center fielder (Kevin Kiermaier) and right fielder (Manuel Margot).
The Rays have had 25 different players total 31 stints on the injured list this season, and according to Spotrac’s tracker, the Rays have totaled 1,238 days on the IL, most in the AL and snd in the majors behind the Reds (1,393).
Ramirez has been a great addition to the Rays' lineup this season. He came into the game with a .329 batting average, with four home runs and 35 RBIs. He has played in 78 of the Rays' 92 games.
Rays third baseman Yandy Diaz, who was hit by a pitch on Saturday, was not in Sunday's lineup either. He was hit in the left forearm and was still sore with some swelling.
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Tom Brew is the publisher of Inside The Rays, and has been with the Sports Illustrated/FanNation network for three years. He is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his four-decade career at the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has written four books.