Amed Rosario’s bat keeps Rays’ struggling offense alive
ST. PETERSBURG — Amed Rosario was signed to be a utility player who could platoon and fill in for the Rays. Nearly 20 games into the season, the veteran is carrying a struggling offense.
Rosario had the Rays’ only extra-base hit on Thursday as they beat the Angels 2-1 at Tropicana Field.
Kevin Cash, who is close with Rosario’s former manager in Cleveland, Terry Francona, isn’t surprised that Rosario has stepped up.
“He’s been there and done it with the Guardians for (three) years and just knowing Tito and talking to him about the type of player he is, the type of hitter he is,” the Rays manager said, “he’s a very bat-to-ball (hitter). He’s similar in (a hitter) profile to Harold (Ramirez) in so many ways. And when those guys start seeing the ball, well, they can hit it to all fields.
“He’s a tough guy to defend.”
Rosario, who went 2-for-4 Thursday, has hit in 10 straight games, going 18-for-44 with a double, triple, two home runs and nine RBIs in the span. It ties the third-longest hitting streak of his career.
Rosario has been around long enough to know that teams are going to go through slumps like the one the Rays batters are in now.
“It’s a very tough game, this game that we play,” Rosario said via team interpreter Manny Navarro. “It’s a long season. I would say any given player, maybe three times a year, is going to struggle. But these guys just keep on going, keep their heads up, and I think they’re going to wake up a little bit.”
Vote of confidence
After saying that his last outing was an “all-encompassing type of suck,” closer Pete Fairbanks got a vote of confidence from Cash on Thursday morning. Cash said Fairbanks will continue to close games for the Rays.
“I mean, look, when he’s right, he’s as good, as dominant as anybody in baseball,” Cash said. “It’s amazing how it has snowballed on him. ... But I’m confident he’s going to right himself and we’re going to be appreciating giving him the ball with one run.”
Fairbanks took his first official blown save Wednesday night, but it has been a struggle all season. The 30-year-old has allowed seven earned runs and walked eight in eight appearances.
Bullpen move
To make sure they have enough fresh arms after the last few games, the Rays called up left-handed pitcher Jacob Lopez and optioned right-hander Kevin Kelly to Triple-A Durham.
“We tried to kind of squeeze by there,” Cash said. “With the way Wednesday night’s game kind of unfolded, it felt like we needed to, if we (had) an opportunity, to kind of freshen up the bullpen a little bit.”
Lopez pitched in four games for the Rays last season and made one start. He pitched to a 4.38 ERA. So far this season in Triple A, he has a 7.59 ERA over three starts with nine strikeouts in 10.2 innings pitched.
Miscellany
Right-handed pitcher Taj Bradley will throw four innings in extended spring training this weekend. Outfielder Josh Lowe began his rehab assignment Thursday night with Durham. … Yandy Diaz had two singles for his second straight multi-hit game. He has gone 7-for-24 after a 1-for-21 stretch from April 7-12. … Harold Ramirez has had at least one RBI in three of his last four games. He started in leftfield for the first time this season Thursday.
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