Rays designate catcher Francisco Mejia, stick with Rene Pinto
ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays on Tuesday made the surprising move of switching out their backup catcher. After reinstating Francisco Mejia from the injured list, the team designated him for assignment, deciding to keep Rene Pinto instead.
“Very tough call,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said before Tuesday’s series opener against the Rockies at Tropicana Field. “We wish him, certainly, very well. He was a big part of our team for the last three years. I believe he did some good things. Incredible teammate.
“Just felt like where we’re at right now, we like what we’ve seen before from Rene. These are all tough decisions, and talking to Frankie (Monday) night expressed that we want to see him get on a big-league club. He deserves to be in the big leagues.”
Mejia, who went on the injured list July 21 with an MCL sprain in his left knee, spent nearly three seasons with the Rays, hitting .245 with 17 home runs and 85 RBIs. He was considered in the bottom 18th percentile in framing pitches, and he caught just four of 38 baserunners attempting to steal against him.
Pinto, 26, is hitting .276 with a home run and four RBIs in 11 games with the Rays. He has not had a runner attempt to steal against him yet but is considered a better-framing catcher.
“The way he’s worked with the pitchers has been really impressive for a guy that doesn’t have a ton of reps up here,” Cash said. “I know he got them in spring training. He’s starting to swing the bat a little bit, and he’s got some big hits for us here as of late, certainly on the road trip. And want to continue to just see that tandem of (Christian Bethancourt) and Rene going back and forth.”
Making progress
Kevin Kelly was on the mound throwing a live batting practice session before Tuesday’s game. The right-hander is on the injured list with a left ankle sprain.
“I think he threw about 18 pitches,” Cash said. “Jonathan Aranda was one hitter, and one of our bullpen catchers. So, I think Friday he’ll have a lab session in the back, and then maybe Sunday do the same thing. Repeat the same thing, and could have Taylor Walls part of that session as well.”
Walls, an infielder, has been on the injured list with a left oblique strain since July 22. He has ramped up baseball activities in the last week, and Cash is optimistic he will be back in the next few weeks.
“He’s kind of doing everything baseball-wise,” Cash said. “So, I think he’ll take batting practice (Wednesday). We’ll get him running a little bit harder. He said he was about 80 to 85. So, want to see that continue to make progress. And hopefully he’s right around here by or the end of August, early September.”
A Littell success
Zack Littell, who had a 2.89 ERA in 10 career appearances against the Rockies as a reliever with the Giants, went 5 1/3 innings. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits and a walk, and struck out six. Forced into the rotation from the bullpen because of injuries, Littell was making his fifth straight start (with a 2.93 ERA over that span) and third in place of Shane McClanahan, who had elbow surgery Monday. In his eight starts this season, Littell has walked just two and struck out 30 in 35 1/3 innings. McClanahan’s surgery went well, according to Cash. The All-Star left-hander is expected to miss the entire 2024 season.
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