What does Jonny DeLuca’s arrival in Tampa Bay mean for Jose Siri’s future?

ST. PETERSBURG — Jonny DeLuca hits a line drive over the leftfield wall, and Jose Siri sees his career flash before his eyes.

Or, at least he should.

With DeLuca’s arrival, Siri’s status in the Tampa Bay lineup seems like it might be open to debate. And the ever-growing number of Siri critics on social media are salivating at the thought of a permanent replacement for their mercurial centerfielder.

In reality, the situation is not that dire for Siri although his place in the lineup will no longer be automatic.

And the truth is, Siri is not as bad as you might think.

But he’s also not as good as he seems to think.

Therein lies the dilemma for the Rays, who have been tantalized by Siri’s obvious physical gifts but have to be weary of his inconsistency, a sometimes casual effort and the inability to learn from the past.

That was all true a week ago, but now DeLuca’s return from a broken hand in spring training gives the Rays a legitimate option in centerfield. With Josh Lowe returning from the injured list in Monday night’s 8-2 win against the White Sox, the Rays are now flush with outfielders.

“It’ll kind of be mix and match them as we go,” manager Kevin Cash said.

Since being activated on Friday night, DeLuca is hitting .333 with 10 RBIs in 16 plate appearances. That’s an incredibly small sample size, but it’s hard not to compare it to Siri, who has seven RBIs in 105 plate appearances this season.

If you want to delve a little deeper, DeLuca already has shown an ability to adjust his approach within an at-bat. He had an 0-2 count with the bases loaded on Monday night and rolled an opposite-field single to drive in two runs in the third. It was his third two-strike hit for RBIs in the past two days.

“I count that as part of my game,” DeLuca said. “Being able to hit with two strikes, and that’s kind of what I stress.”

Contrast that with Siri, who is 6-for-64 with 43 strikeouts after getting two strikes this season.

Open and shut, right? DeLuca stays, and Siri goes.

Except it’s not that simple. DeLuca may be off to an impressive start, but he has 61 plate appearances in the big leagues. He’s not yet a proven commodity. Plus, if he gets hurt, the Rays do not have an obvious alternative beyond Siri.

And, whether you agree or not, Siri was one of the more productive centerfielders in the majors last season. Glove, bat, speed? Siri has it all. He was tied for sixth in outs-above-average on defense in 2023, and that was while missing nearly a month with hand and hamstring injuries.

He also hit 25 home runs and stole a dozen bases.

The problem is Siri, at times, seems to coast on his athletic skills. He plays with a flash and swagger befitting a hitter with much better stats. And, most notably, there has not been a lot of growth as a hitter during his time in Tampa Bay.

The past three seasons he’s hit .213, .222 and now .176. His swing-and-miss rate is through the roof. Only Joey Gallo had a higher rate of whiffs than Siri’s 40.1% last season. This year? Siri is again second to Gallo at 42.1%.

A lot of these issues were talked about in Houston when they dealt Siri to the Rays for a pair of minor-league pitchers at the trade deadline in 2022.

Yet, for all the negatives, Siri can be an engaging player. He brings energy on the field and a lightheartedness to the clubhouse.

Siri, 28, is also out of minor-league options, which means the Rays cannot send him to Triple-A Durham without subjecting him to waivers. Considering his high ceiling and the lack of an alternative to DeLuca, it doesn’t make sense that the Rays would plan on cutting ties with him.

Still, the light is starting to fade on Siri’s potential. Cash made a point of saying in spring training that this could be a huge season in Siri’s career. He will be arbitration eligible this winter, and the Rays may not be willing to pay a $5 million salary if he is not the clear starter in centerfield.

The bottom line is there are still chapters to be written. Siri’s fate in Tampa Bay is far from assured.

The only difference now is the Rays have a new character to consider with DeLuca.

John Romano can be reached at jromano@tampabay.com. Follow @romano_tbtimes.

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