Rays’ Jose Siri looking to add some serious theft to his game
DUNEDIN — Last season, Jose Siri focused on hitting home runs, and the Rays centerfielder finished with a career-high 23 — more than his two previous seasons combined. This spring, Siri has set his sights on another impressive goal.
“More than 30 (stolen bases),” Siri said of his plan for 2024.
“Last year I focused a lot on the home run hitting,” Siri said via translator Manny Navarro. “And last year with the rule changes there were a lot of stolen bases. So I am trying to get good there and be aggressive without the fear of being out. I am just trying to steal more bases and focus on that.”
Siri made that much clear in the second inning of the Rays’ 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark on Wednesday. After drawing a walk, Siri stole second base and then stole third on the next pitch.
Those steals were not just good practice for him because they were against a pitcher (Paolo Espinal) and catcher (Danny Jansen) in the Rays’ division. It was also laying some groundwork for when the season starts, coincidentally against Toronto at Tropicana Field on March 28.
“They’re going to be paying attention ... and if they don’t pay attention to us, they’ll have some work to do,” Siri said.
Siri has elite speed, according to Baseball Savant, and Rays manager Kevin Cash said he always has a green light. The 28-year-old, however, only stole 12 bases last season. He knows he has to improve his on-base percentage, which was .273 last season, well below the American League average of .317.
“Great. 40, 50 It all depends on how much he can get on base,” Cash said. “He’s just confident when he gets on base. There’s a confidence (that’s) instinctual. He wants to run. Elite base runners are big stealers. The first thing you always hear him talking about is they want to run and he’s certainly one of those guys.”
Feels like the very first time
Ryan Pepiot is human, after all, so Wednesday was not that surprising.
The right-hander the Rays acquired in the trade that sent Tyler Glasnow to Los Angeles admitted it was weird to take the mound in a different uniform for the first time.
“Physically, I felt good,” he said, “I was a little nervous. You know, a different uniform for first time in the game setting. It was fun, but I was definitely a little bit nervous to start the game.”
Pepiot gave up three hits, walked one and struck out three in two scoreless innings. He threw 35 pitches, 20 for strikes.
“I thought it looked like his first outing in spring. A little inconsistent strike-throwing. We were kind of inconsistent throughout the game,” Cash said. “But (his) stuff looked just right with where he’s been in all of his bullpens and live BPs. Encouraged with the way he came back and that second inning was better than the first.”
Pepiot may have been nervous for the first pitch, but said he’s felt very settled with the Rays since the trade went down on Dec. 15. Tampa Bay has made a point of telling him he isn’t here to fill anyone’s shoes.
“Everyone here has made it very clear that they are here to help and they made it clear that they just want me to do my best,” he said.
Miscellany
Yu Chang left Wednesday’s game with a left oblique injury. The infielder hurt himself on a swing and is expected to miss “some time,” according to Cash. … Chris Devenski threw two scoreless innings with a walk and a strikeout. …Right-handed reliever Manny Rodriguez has impressed Cash early on this spring. He struck out three and allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. “Pretty interesting how the ball’s coming out of his hand,” Cash said. “That’s back-to-back outings now he’s sitting in 95 (mph) to 99 and willing to throw the ball over the plate. So encouraged by that.”
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