ST. PETERSBURG — Yandy Diaz will get a chance to catch his breath.
The Rays first baseman will be placed on the paternity list on Friday. He will miss that night’s series opener, and possibly Saturday’s game, against the Royals in Kansas City.
Infielder Jonathan Aranda will be called up to take his place.
Diaz can use the breather after a harried and tiring couple of days during All-Star Week.
He flew to Seattle Monday night, where he played — and hit a home run — in the All-Star Game Tuesday night. He then took a red-eye flight back home to be his wife, Mayisleidis, for the birth of their first child on Wednesday.
The baby boy is also named Yandy, but with a different middle name. All are doing well.
“Congratulations to Yandy and his wife,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Thursday. “Pretty special. Pretty hectic. That whole All-Star experience — not just for him, but for all of our guys (including outfielder Randy Arozarena, shortstop Wander Franco and injured pitcher Shane McClanahan). They represented the Rays really, really well.
“Yandy probably had the most travel, flying in the day of, flying out right after the game, and he finds a way to hit a homer. So happy for him, and happier when he got back that everything went well. I know that’s been on his mind, as it should be.”
Glasnow set to start
Tyler Glasnow will pitch Friday’s series opener, saying his mechanics and timing have improved over his last three starts. It certainly seems that way, as he has allowed only five runs over 16-1/3 innings (2.76 ERA), with 31 strikeouts and three walks (though going winless).
“I’m feeling good,” he said.
Glasnow is hopeful the hand and leg cramping that forced him from his last start on July 7 is no longer an issue. He went to see a vascular specialist and had some testing done but said there have been no conclusions made yet.
“Hopefully, it doesn’t keep happening,” he said. “I hope they figure it out.”
J-Lowe returns to team after mom’s health scare
Outfielder Josh Lowe was reinstated from the family medical emergency list. He missed games Saturday and Sunday to be with his mother, Wendy, who lives in Orlando and had a health issue that Lowe prefers to keep private.
“My mom had some stuff going on,” he said. “Thankfully, everything’s OK now, but at the time, it was a little scary. So I was able to get home and be with her while she was going through that.”
Lowe said he and his family were “so appreciative” of Rays officials allowing him to miss the games.
McClanahan ready to roll
Shane McClanahan said he is fully set to rejoin the rotation on Sunday after serving 15 days on the injured list due to back tightness. He said his Thursday throwing session “was probably one of my best bullpens in, honest to God, my time in the big leagues.”
McClanahan, who attended the All-Star Game, said he is eager to take the mound.
“I’m ready to get out there,” he said. “I’m going to get out there and just see. … Dry runs, test runs are everything. At some point, you just want to go drive the car. I’m to the point now. I just want to drive the car.”
Miscellaneous
Zach Eflin will pitch Saturday. Taj Bradley has Monday’s series opener in Texas, with the Rays undecided on their plans for Tuesday, given Yonny Chirinos’ struggles. … About 16 Rays, including position players Lowe, Christian Bethancourt, Francisco Mejia, Luke Raley and Taylor Walls participated in an optional workout Thursday before boarding a flight to Kansas City. … Lefty Jose Lopez, who made his debut on June 10, was released, having previously been designated for assignment. That was done because he has a shoulder issue, and injured players can’t be given an outright assignment.
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