ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. ― Turns out the only thing that could cool off Manuel Margot was a sore right hamstring.
The Rays placed their hottest hitter on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a hamstring strain and called up reliever Ralph Garza Jr. in a corresponding move.
Margot, who was lifted during Saturday’s game against Toronto for a pinch-runner, was off to a torrid start, batting .348, including a current 11-game hitting streak, with three home runs and 21 RBIs.
The 27-year-old outfielder had been limited since leaving Monday’s game at the Angels with hamstring tightness — the same day he was named American League Player of the Week. Margot returned to action Friday in the series opener against the Blue Jays.
“I think it’s getting better,’' Margot said via interpreter Manny Navarro. “I think with the time off they’re going to give me it is going to help me, but I think it’s getting better.’'
Margot said having to go on the IL while he’s swinging a hot bat is not ideal.
“It’s not good,’’ he said. “When you’re feeling that good, nobody wants to get out of the lineup or off the team. Nobody wants to watch the game from the bench. But it is what it is.’'
It’s the third stint with the Rays for Garza, who went 2-2 with a 2.77 ERA in eight appearances at Triple-A Durham, including two starts.
The loss of Margot likely will mean more playing time for Harold Ramirez and Vidal Brujan.
In other health news, second baseman Brandon Lowe, who was a “healthy” scratch Saturday, went 1-for-4 Sunday while leading off as the designated hitter. “Yeah, he’s fine,’' manager Kevin Cash said. “Just trying to manage his workload and try to rotate that DH spot with certainly Wander (Franco), with Brandon ... trying to keep them fresh because we play them so much.’'
Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, who fouled a pitch off his right knee Saturday, said he felt better than expected. He had a pinch-hit single in the eighth on Sunday.
Corey Kluber hoping to bounce back
Corey Kluber will be back on the mound Monday trying to atone for his worst outing of the season. The veteran right-hander was roughed up in a loss to the Angels on Tuesday, allowing eight earned runs and 11 hits in only three innings.
“Really just stick to the game plan, get ahead in the count and make quality pitches when I am ahead,” Kluber said. “That’s probably what I didn’t do the last time out, the second half of that. I got ahead but then left too many balls around the plate.”
Kluber said he feels good about the way the season has gone so far.
“I feel like I’m in a good spot,” he said. “I feel good physically. I feel, delivery-wise, I’m doing what I want to. For the most part, making quality pitches. Those are things you can control as a pitcher so continue on that.”
Tampa’s Alex Faedo to start for Tigers
Alex Faedo will have a homecoming Monday night when he takes the mound for Detroit at the Trop in his third career start.
The Tampa native starred at Alonso High and Florida, and is among the Tigers’ top prospects. He was a first-round pick by Detroit in 2017 after helping the Gators win the national championship that season and being named the most outstanding player at the College World Series.
Faedo, 26, pitched well at Double A in 2019, posting a 3.90 ERA with a 28.3 percent strikeout rate in 115⅓ innings. The right-hander looked as if he might be a major-league option by 2020, but he suffered forearm tightness and spent 2021 on the injured list following Tommy John surgery.
Faedo is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in his previous two big-league starts, his debut coming May 4 against Pittsburgh. His father, longtime Alonso baseball coach Landy Faedo, was an assistant at Gaither High when Cash played there.
“Awesome guy,” Cash said. “I actually went over and worked out at his high school when he took over at Alonso as a head coach. I’m sure it’s very special to that family.’'
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