Recovering outfielders Siri, Raley encouraged after live BP

ST. PETERSBURG -- If it were up to outfielders Jose Siri and Luke Raley, the Rays could have set their American League Wild Card Series roster by Monday afternoon with both of them on it.

Siri and Raley, sidelined down the stretch by a fractured right hand and a cervical strain, respectively, took live batting practice against Triple-A reliever Javy Guerra then went through defensive work and standard BP during Monday’s workout at Tropicana Field. Both declared themselves ready to return.

“I think I’m ready to go,” Raley said after his live BP session. “It’s been feeling good. I haven’t had any setbacks.”

“I feel like I can play. I feel like I can hit. I think I can do a little bit of everything,” Siri added through interpreter Manny Navarro. “If it was my decision, I would play, but it isn’t. But I do feel good, and I am ready to play.”

Indeed, it is up to the Rays’ decision-makers as they set their roster before Tuesday’s 10 a.m. ET deadline. Manager Kevin Cash indicated that Tampa Bay will weigh its options until then, especially with the additional opportunity to check in on Siri and Raley early Tuesday morning to see how they recovered from their work on Monday.

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“They've made a lot of progress,” Cash said near the start of the Rays’ workout. “Very encouraged by the way they felt, and if it continues that way through the rest of the workout, we'll have some decisions to discuss overnight, for sure.”

Siri has been out since Sept. 12, a day after he was hit by a pitch on his right hand in the fifth inning of a game against the Twins. Every round of follow-up imaging seemed encouraging, and Siri was pleased with how he felt taking swings against Guerra’s high-octane fastball.

“It's up to them, whatever they think,” Siri said through Navarro. “We're always going to play hurt a little bit in this game. For me, it's not really pain. It's just more a little bit more soreness, and that's what I've been feeling.”

Raley was initially injured in an accidental collision with a staff member during pregame batting practice at Camden Yards on Sept. 16. He landed on his head, leading to neck stiffness that kept him out until Sept. 20. Raley felt that he had returned to form at that point, only to exit after one pinch-hit at-bat due to numbness in his left arm that turned out to be a nerve issue.

Raley received a cortisone injection on Sept. 22, and he said Monday the combination of that shot and rest helped him feel “a lot better.” Running and throwing haven’t been an issue at any point, and he didn’t feel anything while taking swings in the batting cage during his last ramp-up in activity. Taking “live” game-type swings was the last checkpoint, and Raley believes he passed it.

“It's nice that I got to come out here and compete off some good [velocity] and really have to take some real swings,” Raley said.

Having one or both players available against the Rangers this week at Tropicana Field could significantly reshape the Rays’ roster. Siri provides elite defense in center field, speed on the bases and power (albeit with a lot of strikeouts) at the plate. Raley can play all around the outfield and at first base, or he can serve as a powerful left-handed bat off the bench.

Around the horn
• The Rays cleared out shortstop Wander Franco’s locker and assigned it to catcher Francisco Mejía, one of several players who reported to Tropicana Field from Triple-A Durham to provide depth on or off the postseason roster.

Tampa Bay had left Franco’s locker and apparel in place even as he went on indefinite administrative leave in August while under an MLB investigation. The change on Monday was not indicative of any new developments regarding Franco but simply a logistical move to create space for the players who joined them for the playoffs.

• Cash offered extensive praise to the club’s advance scouts who prepared down the stretch for multiple different opponents. Entering the final weekend, the Rangers seemed like an unlikely first-round matchup for the Rays, but the team felt it was up to speed in its preparation thanks to the in-person scouting work done by special assistant Bobby Heck and pro personnel specialist Mike Brown, among others.

• Reliever Erasmo Ramírez, who was designated for assignment on Saturday, cleared outright waivers and accepted his outright assignment. He will report to the Rays’ instructional league complex in Sarasota, Fla., the team announced.