Rays’ Brandon Lowe feeling better after ‘scary’ beaning
CINCINNATI — Brandon Lowe was feeling “much better” with less of a headache Friday and could resume workouts as soon as Saturday after being hit on the helmet by a pitch Thursday in his first rehab game.
Lowe, out since mid-May due to a lower-back issue, was hit on the back of his helmet in his first at-bat for Triple-A Durham, by Steven Matz, the Cardinals left-hander rehabbing with their Memphis team.
“Obviously a scary moment,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I’m happy that Brandon is doing better.”
Lowe is eligible to rejoin the Rays on July 15, which is three days before the four-day All-Star break, though that would have seemed quick given how long he has been out. The additional missed time would seem to delay his return until after the break, but Cash said he wasn’t sure.
“You’ve got to think it’s going to have an effect, because he’s not doing anything (Friday) and he was supposed to play (Saturday). So I don’t have the best answer,” Cash said. “I just hope he goes to bed (Friday) feeling good and wakes up feeling totally normal.”
If Lowe does, he could go through “some kind of workout” Saturday and potentially play Sunday; the Bulls are off Monday.
As the DH Thursday, Lowe went to first base after being hit but was removed from the game before his next at-bat for precautionary reasons. He told Cash after the game he had a headache. When Cash talked to him again Friday afternoon, Lowe said the headache had subsided.
Chang in, Brujan out to play more in minors
Yu Chang said he was excited to join the Rays Friday after being claimed off waivers from the Pirates, and Cash said they were happy to have him given his defensive prowess around the infield and pinch-hitting ability.
“I’m ready to play,” said Chang, a native of Taiwan, who played previously with Cleveland.
But Cash made it sound like the basis for the potentially short-term move was to get Vidal Brujan —who was sent to Durham to make room — back to playing to playing every day, and playing better after hitting .167 in 46 games.
“We felt like just with how talented he is and how important he is to us, we’ve got to get him some reps,” Cash said. “His playing time had kind of been eliminated a little bit. So it’ll be good for him to get to Durham and get back to playing every day.”
Cash said Brujan will first go back to the Dominican Republic to be with his partner for the birth of their child, then join the Bulls next week.
Miscellany
What was Yandy Diaz doing in the Rays dugout wearing a plastic mask of what appeared to be a woman’s face? “It was just sitting in the dugout and I saw that it was better looking than my face so I put it on,’' Diaz said, via team interpreter Manny Navarro, adding he didn’t know who brought it. ... The right middle finger blister that forced Luis Patino (oblique strain) from his July 2 rehab start has subsided; he will throw a bullpen session Saturday, and if all goes well the Rays will decide soon whether to activate him. ... Now-Reds outfielder Tommy Pham visited with Cash, Kevin Kiermaier and some other former Rays mates before the game. … Pitchers Josh Fleming and Phoenix Sanders, who stayed with the Rays through the end of the Boston series on the taxi squad, were sent back to Durham.
• • •
Sign up for the Rays Report weekly newsletter to get fresh perspectives on the Tampa Bay Rays and the rest of the majors from sports columnist John Romano.
Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook.
