Decisions pending on status of Rays’ Yandy Diaz, Zach Eflin
ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays will know more on Friday about the health and availability of first baseman Yandy Diaz and starter Zach Eflin.
Both left games this week with injuries and underwent MRIs that left team officials encouraged they wouldn’t miss much more, if any, time.
Diaz was forced out by left groin tightness after reaching for a throw in Tuesday’s game. He said “everything came out good” in his Wednesday morning MRI and he would do everything he could in terms of treatment to avoid being placed on the 10-day injured list.
“With the day off (Thursday), I’m going to rest, see how it feels, and then Friday we’ll reevaluate again,” he said via team interpreter Manny Navarro.
If Diaz were to be sidelined, the Rays likely would call up either lefty Jonathan Aranda or infield prospect Curtis Mead, a right-handed hitter like Diaz. Mead has played mostly third base in the minors, so Isaac Paredes might then shift to first base.
Eflin left Wednesday’s game with left knee discomfort shortly after sliding to field a bunt in the fourth inning. Given his history of injuries to both knees, he was sent immediately for an MRI.
Those results were said to be encouraging in that there was no indication of anything major, such as a torn meniscus. The Rays will need some additional time to treat and further evaluate Eflin in deciding whether he will make his next start, scheduled for Tuesday, the day of the trade deadline, at Yankee Stadium.
If Eflin can’t go, the Rays could either slot in a trade acquisition then, or call up either Cooper Criswell or Erasmo Ramirez from the minors.
Lynn ready for a deal
White Sox right-hander Lance Lynn, one of the starters the Rays have shown interest in, said Thursday afternoon on the Foul Territory YouTube show he was starting to pack for an expected trade.
Lynn, 6-9 with a 6.47 ERA, acknowledged interest from the Rays, Dodgers, Rangers and a fourth contending team he couldn’t remember. He said he was good with going to any of the four, even though some, such as the Rays, are on his 10-team no-trade list.
“I’m not mad at the four that are in on me right now,” he said. “I think I’m in a good spot as to where I might land. … There’s some people out there (who) still think I can get it done. I know I can get it done. Just looking forward to a chance to make a run and have a little different perspective here down the stretch.”
Road trippin’
Having lost eight of their last 10 games and 15 of 20 in July, the Rays on Friday will start a challenging nine-game, 10-day road trip to face the contending Astros and Yankees, and improved Tigers. At least the first half of the trip will be enveloped by trade speculation.
“I’d like to see us focus on what we can control,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We’re going on a big road trip. It’s two teams we’re fairly familiar with, they’re postseason teams. You want to do well, you want to play well. If we can create a little momentum for ourselves, it should put us in a good spot.”
The Rays’ timing could have been better, as the Astros on Wednesday reinstated two of their top players, Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez, from the injured list. The Yankees are expected to do the same Friday with star Aaron Judge.
Miscellany
Lefty Shane McClanahan, winless with a 7.02 ERA over his last four outings around an injured-list stint (back tightness), is slated to start for the Rays on Friday. ... Reliever Shawn Armstrong has a 12-inning scoreless streak. ... Outfielder Jose Siri is hitting .303 with four homers since the All-Star break.
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