Reliever Matt Wisler becomes 17th Rays player on injured list

BALTIMORE — Things have gotten so bad for the Rays that players are getting injured in their sleep.

Reliever Matt Wisler became the 17th Rays player on the injured list — most in the majors — Wednesday due to a neck strain that set in earlier this road trip and hasn’t loosened.

“He woke up with a neck issue in Kansas City,” manager Kevin Cash said. “Part of the reason why we haven’t seen him in a game (since the All-Star break). It just would not go away. We tried to give him some medicine, a bunch of treatment; it didn’t respond.”

The cause?

“He made it sound like sleep,” Cash said. “Like he just messed it up on his pillow and came in and was just really not able to move it.”

Cash said Wisler has had back and neck issues previously, including earlier this year, but not to this extent.

Wisler, who will be out a minimum of 15 days, was sent back to St. Petersburg so he could see specialist Dr. Tom Tolli on Thursday. Right-hander Ralph Garza Jr., who had been added to the taxi squad, was activated to take the place of Wisler, who was 3-3, 2.36 in 36 games.

Wisler actually is the second player this week to wake up hurt.

Catcher Francisco Mejia said he went to bed feeling fine after playing Monday, but when he woke up Tuesday his right shoulder felt “a little bit just uncomfortable.”

An MRI exam showed what the Rays said was an impingement, and Mejia, who was the primary catcher with Mike Zunino hurt (and undergoing season-ending thoracic outlet syndrome surgery on Thursday), was placed on the injured list Tuesday, with the hope he can return in about two weeks.

“That’s what bothers me the most — I finally had an opportunity to play every day and I was playing every day and I was feeling good and this had to come up,” said Mejia, via team interpreter Manny Navarro.

With Mejia out, and a trade for a frontline catcher like Willson Contreras (Cubs) or Sean Murphy (A’s) unlikely, catching duties will be split between recently acquired Christian Bethancourt and rookie Rene Pinto, a long-time minor-leaguer who was called up from Triple-A for his third stint in the majors.

“Rene does such a good job behind the plate,” Cash said. “He knows the pitchers still better than Bethancourt does. But like the way Christian has been back there. He had a nice throw (Tuesday). Felt like his bat, his swings (Tuesday) were good. So go back and forth with both of them.”

Manuel Margot on mend

In some positive injury news, outfielder Manuel Margot has started running and, while Cash stressed it was very early in the process, is on a rehab schedule to be reinstated Aug. 20 when eligible. Margot strained the patellar tendon in his right knee June 20, and at the time there was some concern it would end his season.

Also, relievers Nick Anderson (elbow surgery) and JT Chargois (oblique strain) will move their rehab work to Triple-A Durham starting Friday, reliever Jalen Beek (right calf tightness) threw two innings of live batting practice, and shortstop Wander Franco (right hamate fracture) fielded ground balls to get some onfield work but still has a splint on his right hand and isn’t allowed to grip anything. “There’s not much he can do,” Cash said.

Miscellany

Third-base coach Rodney Linares on Thursday will be named manager of the powerful Dominican Republic team for next year’s World Baseball Classic tournament; former Ray (and current Nationals) DH Nelson Cruz is the general manager. ... Lefty Ryan Yarbrough will start Thursday rather than work behind an opener. ... Team officials are working on third-round right-hander Trevor Martin (Oklahoma State) and six other unsigned draft picks, including top choice Xavier Isaac, in advance of Monday’s deadline.

• • •

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.