Rays should know soon Taylor Walls’ availability to rejoin lineup

PHOENIX — The Rays expect to have a better sense by Thursday on the status of Taylor Walls.

The sure-handed infielder was out of the lineup Wednesday for a second straight game due to tightness in his right lower lat/mid-back area.

While an MRI ruled out an oblique issue that could lead to an extended absence, Walls is dealing with some discomfort that has limited his availability.

“I still think it’s pretty early. We’ll take it day-to-day,” manager Kevin Cash before Wednesday’s game against Arizona. “(Thursday), I think, will be a big day. Not necessarily if he’s in the lineup or not. But just if he’s responding to the treatment (and) everything.”

Walls, who played all six games on the homestand that ended Sunday, said he has been bothered by the tightness since the weekend. When he didn’t feel better after Monday’s off day (which included a long flight to Phoenix), concern grew a bit, leading to the decision to get the MRI, which he said was “mostly” clean.

“It’s just more of a precautionary thing,” Walls said. “We wanted to go ahead and get ahead of it and see exactly what it was so we knew how we could treat it and try to get back on the field and stay healthy as fast as possible.”

Swinging a bat is the biggest issue, but Walls said he feels something with just about any movement.

“Honestly, it’s kind of everything,” Walls said. “It’s not very drastic, it’s very minimal, but it’s noticeable.” Walls had an oblique strain at the start of spring training.

If Walls — who Cash said could be used to play defense or pinch-run if needed Wednesday — wasn’t available by Friday, the Rays could consider placing him on the injured list. If so, Jonathan Aranda would be the likely replacement from Triple A.

Starry eyed

First baseman Yandy Diaz and outfielder Randy Arozarena will find out Thursday afternoon if they were voted into starting spots on the American League team for the July 11 All-Star Game.

In a Wednesday afternoon update of the online voting that ends at noon Thursday, both remained well-positioned based on percentage of the vote.

Diaz led Toronto’s Vlad Guerrero Jr. 53-47. Arozarena was just behind Los Angeles’ Mike Trout (23-22) while ahead of New York’s Aaron Judge (19), Houston’s Yordan Alvarez (15), Texas’ Adolis Garcia (12) and Toronto’s Kevin Kiermaier (10), the ex-Ray, with the top three starting.

Diaz’s availability could be impacted by his wife’s pregnancy; their first child, a boy, is due in mid-July.

Six Rays have been elected starters, most recently catcher Wilson Ramos in 2018, though he was injured and didn’t play. Winners will be announced at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Reserves and pitchers, voted mostly via player balloting, will be announced Sunday, with Shane McClanahan, the 2022 All-Star starter, expected to be named again.

Pitching in

After a rough last outing, allowing eight runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings Saturday, Yonny Chirinos is slated to work again Thursday, either starting or behind an opener, with a focus on throwing more strikes early in counts.

“He’s searching a little bit,” Cash said. “Yonny, he’s had enough success. ... With Yonny, you try not to carry those deep counts. For a guy that’s not going to get a ton of strikeouts, that’s okay, (but) you want to get early outs.”

Chirinos said control of his sinker is the main issue, specifically to more consistent.

“The goal is to throw it in the zone and get the guys to swing to try to put it in play or get the swing-and-miss,” he said via team interpreter Manny Navarro. “There’s some days where that sinker just has too much movement. You can’t really have control of all the movement, and that’s sometimes the worry when you have to try to control it.”

Getting their kicks

Isaac Paredes and Arozarena sported soccer jerseys during batting practice in support of the Mexican national team, which plays a Gold Cup game Thursday against Haiti in nearby Glendale.

“It’s very nice,” Paredes said via team communications manager Elvis Martinez. “Growing up in Mexico, soccer is the main sport. I became a baseball player and it’s really nice that other teams and other players in other sports recognize what do you do in baseball.”

Paredes and Arozarena played for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and got a chance to visit with team general manager Rodrigo Lopez, who is a Diamondbacks broadcaster.

Miscellany

Second baseman Brandon Lowe (herniated disc) played the first of several rehab games with Triple-A Durham at Jacksonville on Wednesday, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. … Cash said McClanahan is set to return to the rotation Friday as planned, and the back tightness that forced him out of his last Thursday’s game “does not seem to be an issue whatsoever.” … Former Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes, who lives in the Phoenix area, was excited to be at Chase Field and welcomed the chance to do a few innings on the TV and radio broadcasts.

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