Rays Notebook: Wander Franco Out of Lineup Again, Andrew Kittredge to IL, Margot on Track
BALTIMORE, Md. — With an off day looming on Monday, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash is hoping to get an extra day of rest for star shortstop Wander Franco. The 21-year-old, who's dealing with quad and hamstring issues, is not in the lineup for the second day in a row.
Cash did say Sunday morning that is he available off the bench, but he's hoping not to use him. It's the same with Yandy Diaz, who's out of the lineup Sunday as well after suffering a mild shoulder strain in Saturday night's win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Sunday's game starts at 1:35 p.m. ET
"(Franco and Diaz) will both be available off the bench, but we would really love to avoid them some way so we can double up on the off days,'' said Cash, who didn't think a trip to the injured list was in play for either player. "I'm happy with the way. they felt coming in, but there's more treatment to be had.''
The 21-year-old Franco has been dealing with muscle issues in both legs off and on this season. He's had to miss a few days on a couple of occasions so far, and aggravated his right quad while running the bases Friday night.
"The way he's built, with that body, he's like a ball of muscle,'' Cash said. "When you have that much muscle and not any body fat, you can be prone to some of those leg injuries. I applaud him for getting in the training room and doing the little things and staying hydrated, and he's really taken all of that to another level. We're proud of Wander, and he's just got to stay at it.''
Franco said the injuries have been frustrating, and he's doing all he can to deal with it.
"I feel much better, thank God, and I'm doing everything to get back as fast as I can,'' Franco said through translator Manny Navarro. "I'm hoping to be back in the lineup as soon as possible. I don't know why, really, but (the recurring injuries) have happened.''
Tyler Walls is playing shortstop on Sunday. Isaac Paredes is playing third base for Diaz, and Vidal Brujan is playing second.
Kittredge to IL; Dusten Knight returns
Andrew Kittredge continues to have low back issues, so the Rays went ahead and put him on the 15-day injured list on Sunday, retroactive to Thursday. He'll be eligible to return on June 3.
The Rays recalled right-handed reliever Dusten Knight from Triple-A Durham. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander JT Chargois (left oblique tightness) was transferred to the 60-day injured list. He tweaked his oblique during a rehab assignment earlier this week.
"He got off the mound today, and the back is just not going away for him,'' Cash said of Kittredge, who leads the Rays with five saves. "So we'll pull it back three days, and good thing that we have Knight here. It's more of a shut-down thing with him. Let's see if we can clean him and the hope is it will be a minimum stint (on the IL).''
Knight had a brief stay with the Rays earlier in the year, pitching 2 1/3 innings and allowing one run in an April 13 game against Oakland. He's done well at Durham, and he's looking forward to getting another shot with the Rays.
"I've been tweaking my slider a little bit down there, and it's really coming around,'' Knight said. "I'm getting a lot more depth on it. The Rays have really helped me unlocked something that can go left away from the hitters, and that's helped me establish my best pitch, which is the changeup.
He's had five saves at Durham, and he's done his trademark back flips after each save.
Knight had a unique path to the big leagues. He was a two-time state champion wrestler in high school in Oklahoma. He didn't grow until later in high school. "That's what I was going to college for, to wrestle, but I ended up throwing 90 miles and hour my senior year, so I took that route instead.''
The Rays bullpen has covered 16 1/3 innings in the last two nights, so there's a good chance we'll see Knight on Sunday. Corey Kluber is starting for the Rays.
Margot set to return next week
Rays outfielder Manuel Margot is feeling better the hamstring issues that put him on the injured list, but it looks like he's in line to return to the lineup on Wednesday.
"Margot ran the bases today and it's all good.,'' Cash said "The hope is he'll DH in extended (spring training) on Monday and then play the next day.''
Margot, who was the American League Player of the Week two weeks ago, has been the Rays' best hitter all year. He's hitting .348 with 21 RBIs, both team highs, and has three home runs.
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.