Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Tyler Glasnow have agreed to a contract extension through the 2024 season, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported it's a one-year, $25 million extension.

Glasnow was set to become a free agent after the 2023 campaign.

Glasnow has not pitched since June 14, 2021, and underwent Tommy John surgery last August. The Rays have relied on Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, Corey Kluber, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Yarbrough on the mound in his absence.

The California native told reporters earlier this week after a live batting practice that he hasn't ruled out returning this season.

"I think it's like easy to be very optimistic," Glasnow said. "I felt really good, my velo was good, execution was good, but again, if I'm not comfortable and I don't feel like 100 percent and ready to go, then I'm not. I'm not going to push it."

He added: "It's going to be the hardest thing for me to come to the decision. I really do want to come back. I want to help the team, especially the position we're in, but I'm not going to jeopardize the rest of my career."

Glasnow has spent the last four and a half seasons in Tampa Bay after beginning his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 29-year-old has become a staple in the team's rotation and had an impressive 2021 season before undergoing surgery. He went 5-2 with a 2.66 ERA, 0.932 WHIP and 123 strikeouts in 88 innings across 14 starts.

Before the start of games on Friday, the Rays occupied the top wild-card spot in the American League and are on pace to make the postseason. If Glasnow is able to return this season, it would be a significant boost to Tampa Bay's rotation heading into October.

If he's unable to return this year, the Rays can look forward to having him back for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Monday is slated to be the 10-year anniversary of the last perfect game in Major League Baseball history, which was thrown by Félix Hernández of the Seattle Mariners.

Turns out, it was nearly the one-day anniversary.

Tampa Bay Rays starter Drew Rasmussen took a perfect game into the ninth inning during Sunday's matchup against the Baltimore Orioles. He was three outs away from recording the 24th perfect game in MLB history, three of which happened during the 2012 campaign.

However, Jorge Mateo had other ideas and led off the final frame with a double.

Mateo not only broke up the perfect game and no-hitter with one swing, he also came around to score on a wild pitch later in the inning to end the shutout.

Fortunately for Rasmussen and the Rays, Jason Adam closed the door and preserved the 4-1 victory. It was a key win because Baltimore entered Sunday's contest just a half-game behind Tampa Bay for the final American League Wild Card spot.

This was also the rubber match in a three-game series before the Rays head to New York to face the mighty Yankees, so it was a much-needed win with the stretch run looming.

Much of the credit goes to Rasmussen, who struck out seven and had little trouble with Baltimore's lineup. A three-run homer from Randy Arozarena in the third inning and an RBI single from David Peralta in the fifth was more than enough run support given how dialed in the starter was throughout the game.

It was more of the same for the 27-year-old, who hasn't given up more than three runs since June 10 during a stretch that includes eight appearances.

Rasmussen has allowed just two combined runs in three appearances and 17.1 innings in August and will be a weapon for the Rays in a tightly contested playoff race if he continues to pitch at this level.

Unfortunately for him, he would have made history if that level included one more perfect inning Sunday.

Injuries are unfortunately a major part of sports, and sometimes that goes beyond just the athletes.

Tampa Bay Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder injured himself while walking out for a mound visit with pitcher Shane McClanahan during Saturday's loss to the Detroit Tigers. After Snyder returned to the dugout, manager Kevin Cash had to take over for the visit.

"He pulled a calf muscle—pulled it, strained it, popped it—we haven't gotten the final injury report yet," Cash said of Snyder after the game. "I had to step up."

McClanahan had only allowed two runs through his first six innings, so the pitching coach likely didn't get much of a warm-up before his seventh-inning mound visit. It might be a lesson that even if you're not playing in a game, it's always important to stretch before any activity.

The Rays have had poor injury luck this year already with 15 players currently on the injured list. Snyder's latest injury only adds to the issues for the 57-50 squad.

The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring outfielder Brett Phillips from the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN.

The Rays announced Monday they were designating Phillips for assignment. The Star-Ledger's Brendan Kuty reported the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies had all shown initial interest in adding the 28-year-old.

Phillips will always hold a special place in Rays history for his decisive hit in Game 4 of the 2020 World Series.

His departure from Tampa Bay comes amid a difficult 2022 season, though. Phillips has a .147/.225/.250 slash line. Among 328 hitters with at least 150 plate appearances, his .218 wOBA ranks 324th, per FanGraphs.

The Orioles finally seem to be turning a corner after four years of being abjectly bad. A 52-51 record is cause for celebration for a team that had a .326 winning percentage from 2018 to 2021.

But that wasn't enough for general manager Mike Elias to make the kind of improvements that could help Baltimore push for a wild-card berth in the American League. Elias traded fan favorite Trey Mancini to the Houston Astros on Monday and then sent 2022 All-Star Jorge Lopez to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.

Phillips is under team control for two more seasons, so he could potentially contribute to the Orioles beyond this season.

But considering three of the franchise's top 10 prospects on MLB.com are outfielders (Colton Cowser, Kyle Stowers and Heston Kjerstad), this could be the case of Baltimore getting just enough depth to hold out until the young stars are ready to be called up.

Multiple teams have reportedly expressed interest in outfielder Brett Phillips, who was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.

According to NJ.com's Brendan Kuty, the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies are among the teams known to have inquired about or shown interest in Phillips.

Phillips has spent parts of the past three seasons with the Rays as a reserve outfielder after previous stints with the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals.

Although Phillips has never been much of a hitter, he is known for his high-energy play, speed and solid defense in the outfield.

The 28-year-old veteran is a career .190 hitter and is hitting just .147 this season with five home runs, 14 RBI and seven stolen bases, but he enjoyed his most productive season in 2021.

Even though he hit just .206, Phillips set career highs with 13 homers, 44 RBI, 14 steals and 50 runs scored across 118 games.

Phillips has primarily played center field and right field, but he has seen some action in left field as well and is capable of playing all three outfield positions effectively, which adds to his value.

Per Baseball Reference, Phillips has made just two errors this season and has eight defensive runs saved above average in right field. Overall, Phillips has 38 defensive runs saved above average across all three outfield positions in his career.

Phillips is perhaps best known for his entertaining forays into pitching, as the Rays let him make relief appearances four times over the past two seasons when games were out of hand.

He posted a 16.20 ERA over five innings in those appearances, but made the highlights thanks to his eephus pitches and willingness to sprint off the mound in order to make plays defensively.

If a team acquires him, his value will come in the form of being a defensive replacement and pinch runner, which tends to be a key role late in the season and into the playoffs.

The Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies are all in the playoff race to varying degrees and could potentially benefit from a versatile player like Phillips.

New York has the best record in the American League and already addressed its outfield by acquiring All-Star Andrew Benintendi from the Royals. Bringing in Phillips would likely be incumbent on finding a team to take the struggling Joey Gallo at the deadline.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox are three games out of a wild-card spot in the AL and the Phillies hold a one-game lead for the final wild-card spot in the NL.

The New York Yankees are trying to move on from outfielder Joey Gallo and have reportedly received interest from the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (h/t Mark Polishuk of MLBTradeRumors).

Gallo is hitting just .159 with a .282 on-base percentage and 12 home runs in 82 games this season with the Yankees.

The 28-year-old joined New York in a July trade from the Texas Rangers last season but now appears to be on his way out before becoming a free agent this offseason.

Gallo did hit 13 home runs in just 58 games last year with the Yankees, but his .160 batting average left a lot to be desired. Even he acknowledged his shortcomings after continued struggles in 2022.

"I feel bad," Gallo told Lindsey Adler of The Athletic. "It's something I'm gonna have to really live with for the rest of my life. It's going to be tough. I didn't play well, I didn't live up to expectations. And that's a tough pill to swallow."

New York acquired outfielder Andrew Benintendi to effectively replace Gallo's spot in the lineup.

Despite his struggles with the Yankees, the slugger clearly has some value around the league. He had two All-Star selections and two Gold Glove Awards with the Rangers and is averaging 39 home runs per 162 games over his career. He hit at least 40 home runs in consecutive seasons in 2017-18.

The Rays and Padres–currently ranked 22nd and 25th, respectively, in the majors in total home runs this season–could especially use this production.

The Brewers do have quality power hitters in Rowdy Tellez, Willy Adames and others, but they could use more outfield depth with the aging Christian Yelich and Andrew McCutchen rotating at designated hitter.

Gallo could represent a high-upside, buy-low option for any of these playoff contenders.

A 24-year-old man allegedly stole $650,000 in jewelry from Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco in June.

According to ESPN's Paula Lavigne and Jeff Passan, the theft occurred while Franco was on a rehab assignment in Jacksonville, Florida. It is alleged that Kahlil Eugene Mathis broke into Franco's Rolls-Royce Cullinan in a hotel parking lot and stole a safe containing the jewelry.

The contents stolen were a $300,000 diamond-encrusted chain, a $200,000 rose gold chain, a $70,000 gold pendant, a $44,000 Rolex watch, a $20,000 American League championship ring, a $20,000 Durham Bulls International League championship ring and a $5,000 gold pendant.

Mathis was arrested July 4 after he sold some of the jewelry to a pawn shop, as police identified him through an Arizona driver's license and thumbprint he gave at the pawn shop.

Mathis is reportedly in jail and is facing charges regarding nine different incidents, including multiple burglaries.

Per Lavigne and Passan, Franco's safe was recovered and the two championship rings were found, but the two chains and the Rolex are still missing.

The 21-year-old Franco was on a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham at the time of the theft. While he made his return to the Rays on June 25, he went back on the injured list two weeks later because of a broken hamate bone in his right hand.

Franco is widely regarded as one of the most talented young stars in baseball, especially after his performance last season when he debuted.

He hit .288 with seven home runs, 39 RBI and 53 runs scored in 70 games before hitting .368 with two homers, four RBI and five runs in four playoff games.

In 58 games this season, the Dominican Republic native is hitting .260 with five home runs, 23 RBI, 34 runs and five stolen bases.

If the Rays can get Franco back this season, he will provide a huge boost to a team that is second in the American League East at 51-41, 12 games behind the first-place New York Yankees.

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier was moved to the 60-day injured list Saturday with a left hip injury, and he might not return to the lineup this season because of the ailment.

"Yeah, it is [tough to grasp]," Kiermaier said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "It hasn't really hit me just yet. ... For right now I'm kind of in that limbo, in-between period, but I think we will all know more here shortly."

Kiermaier hasn't played since a July 9 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He played most of that game but was removed in the ninth inning for a pinch-runner after experiencing left hip discomfort.

The 32-year-old also spent time on the injured list in June with the same hip ailment. He was sidelined the minimum 10 days before being reactivated and returning on July 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Kiermaier is set to see a specialist in Nashville after this weekend's All-Star break and surgery has not been ruled out, per the Associated Press. The earliest he can be activated from the injured list is September.

In 63 games this season, Kiermaier was hitting .228/.281/.369 with seven home runs, 22 RBI and six stolen bases.

The Indiana native has spent his entire career with the Rays, who selected him in the 31st round of the 2010 MLB draft. He made his debut in 2013 but did not become a full-time player for Tampa Bay until the 2014 campaign.

Kiermaier has won three Gold Gloves and a Platinum Glove in his 10 seasons with the Rays, though he hasn't won any awards since the 2019 season, when he won his third Gold Glove.

With Kiermaier sidelined, the Rays have primarily relied on Josh Lowe in center field. The 24-year-old is hitting .196/.253/.329 with two home runs, 12 RBI and two stolen bases in 41 games.

Veteran Brett Phillips has also seen time in center field. The 28-year-old is hitting .144/.213/.240 with four home runs, 10 RBI and seven stolen bases in 66 games.

Moving Kiermaier to the 60-day IL allowed the Rays to clear a roster spot for second baseman Brandon Lowe, who was recently activated from the 60-day IL after being sidelined since May with a lower-back injury.

Even without Kiermaier in the lineup, the Rays are 7-3 in their last 10 games and enter Saturday's matchup against the Baltimore Orioles second in the AL East with a 50-40 record.

The Tampa Bay Rays will be without shortstop Wander Franco for the next five to eight weeks because of wrist surgery.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times noted that the surgery will repair Franco's hamate bone, which was injured in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds when he fouled off a pitch in the first inning.

The Rays had placed Franco on the injured list Sunday along with outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, who is dealing with inflammation in his left hip. This will be his second prolonged absence this season after a strained right quad sidelined him for most of June.

In 58 games this season, Franco has struggled to find a groove. He's slashing .260/.308/.396 with five home runs and 23 RBI, a drop from when he hit .288/.347/.810 with seven homers and 39 RBI as a rookie in 2021. Franco finished third in the voting for American League Rookie of the Year.

In November, Tampa Bay rewarded Franco with a massive contract extension worth $182 million over 11 years with a club option for the 2033 season. The deal could reach as high as $223 million if the option is exercised and all incentives are reached.

While Franco is out, Taylor Walls is likely to see some significant time at shortstop. The 26-year-old has played most of the season at second base, and he's been used more for his defense than for his bat. Walls is hitting .164/.245/.509 with just three home runs and 13 RBI.

The Rays begin a four-game series against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.