How Rays’ Tyler Glasnow is progressing from oblique injury
JUPITER — After nearly two weeks without throwing a baseball, Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow is still not ready to start back up. The right-hander suffered an oblique injury early in camp and has been on doctor-prescribed rest since.
“Just treatment,” manager Kevin Cash said before Saturday’s game against the Marlins. “I actually talked to him two days ago. He’s in a better spot mentally. He was pretty frustrated. But we said to get in here, get his work done and get out.
“You feel for him just because he’s worked so hard, and I mean, we all see it. The guy’s got, like, the perfect physique, and why does he keep getting injured? I think he questions himself, but he does all the research and tries to prevent it, but it sneaks up on him. But he’ll be OK.”
Glasnow was injured while throwing to hitters during a live batting practice session on Feb. 27. An MRI the next day revealed a Grade 2 left oblique strain, the team said.
Glasnow, 29, underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2021 before returning to pitch in two regular-season games for the Rays in 2022. He also made one start during the wild-card series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Good news for Diaz
Yandy Diaz, who left Friday’s game after being hit on the left hand/wrist with a pitch, could be back sooner than expected.
“It’s all good,” Cash said. “I talked to him (Friday) night. I called him and, as far as I know, he will be a part of the live (batting practice Sunday),” Cash said.
Remembering Wills
Rays Radio went back on the air Saturday for the first time since the sudden death of long-time broadcaster Dave Wills on March 5.
“It will be 30% baseball and 70% Dave,” Andy Freed, Wills’ long-time radio partner, said in describing the broadcast. “It will be stories about Dave from us and others.”
In addition to a special pregame ceremony April 22 at Tropicana Field, the Rays announced they will honor Wills by wearing a specially designed memorial patch on their batting helmets throughout the season. The team also will establish a scholarship in his honor.
Wills, 58, was one of the voices of the Rays for the past 18-plus years, beginning with Freed in 2005.
Game details: Marlins 5, Rays 3
Josh Lowe continued to show his power, hitting his third homer of the spring off lefty Trevor Rogers. “He hit a home run the other day pull-side, and I don’t see him do that very often with backspin, and then he did it again (Saturday) off a lefty, a good lefty,” Cash said. “So he’s in a good spot. You want these guys to feel good, to have success and, certainly while there’s decisions to be made, you want them to be able to put the best foot forward and I feel like he is.” … Josh Fleming worked his way out of a jam in the first to throw three scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and struck out two. “I was encouraged that he got through it. He let the defense play a little bit behind him, and after that first inning he thought he settled in and made some strides with the sinker and certainly the big sweeping breaking ball he’s been working on.”
Miscellany
Rays fans will be able to catch Sunday’s game against the Mets on MLB Network. Coverage begins at 1 p.m. ... The big plan for Saturday night in the Rays’ hotel was watching the big Dominican Republic-Venezuela matchup in the World Baseball Classic. Cash said he’d be watching his bench coach, Rodney Linares, manage the Dominican team and envying his roster, which includes Wander Franco, Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Rafael Devers, Julio Rodriguez and Juan Soto.
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