J. Lowe off IL, rejoins Rays' outfield after setbacks

ST. PETERSBURG -- Josh Lowe is back with the Rays. For real, this time.

The Rays reinstated Lowe from the 10-day injured list before their 8-2, series-opening win over the White Sox on Monday night at Tropicana Field, adding a key left-handed bat to their lineup following their three-game sweep of the Mets over the weekend. He was slotted right back into the heart of the order, batting third and going 2-for-5 and starting in right field in his season debut.

“It feels great,” Lowe said Monday afternoon. “It feels great to be back and healthy this time.”

To make room for Lowe, the Rays optioned infielder Curtis Mead to Triple-A Durham. Also on Monday, the Rays selected right-hander Edwin Uceta from Durham, optioned lefty Jacob Lopez and designated infielder/outfielder Niko Goodrum for assignment.

The Rays initially expected Lowe would make his season debut when they faced the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 27. He reported to Chicago to join the team on April 26, seemingly good to go after being sidelined for nearly two months with a right oblique strain. But a new injury -- tightness in his right hamstring -- led to a trip home, an MRI (which came back clean) and four more games on his Minor League rehab assignment with Durham.

Lowe got through those games without incident, going 4-for-17 with a pair of homers and eight strikeouts. It became clear Sunday that his return was imminent, as he was pulled from Durham’s game after five innings then greeted in the dugout with a series of hugs before leaving the field.

Lowe said he had talked with Durham manager Morgan Ensberg before the game. The plan was for him to get “however many [at-bats] I needed, just to be smart about it” before he was ready to get back to the big leagues.

“Body feels 100 percent. I feel really good. I feel like I'm starting to turn in the right direction, baseball-wise, and feel really good in the box,” Lowe said. “That's what I need right now. It's what we all need.”

The Rays will hope this ends a frustrating stretch for Lowe, who has battled through three injuries since the start of Spring Training. He was shut down for six days on Feb. 29 due to left hip inflammation, then he sustained a Grade 1 right oblique strain just before returning from that injury. Lowe had cleared any concern about his oblique when the hamstring cost him another week on the field.

“Whether we were winning or not, it's frustrating to be on the sideline and not be in the lineup and helping the team win,” Lowe said. “It kind of gave me a different perspective for the guys that we have that are in the training room working their tails off to get back and be here, because everybody in there wants to be on the field helping the team win.”

And Lowe figures to be a major addition to a Rays lineup that has been light on impactful left-handed hitters this season. The 26-year-old broke out last year, slashing .292/.335/.500 with 20 home runs, 33 doubles, 32 steals, 83 RBIs and 3.7 bWAR in 135 games.

“We know the type of player he is. He had a really good season last year for us,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I think we've definitely missed having his bat, his presence in the lineup.”

Lowe has mostly played right field in the Majors, but he also spent time in center during his rehab assignment. Combined with Friday’s addition of Jonny DeLuca, Lowe’s return should give Cash additional flexibility in the outfield, although the Rays will monitor Lowe’s workload initially due to his recent injuries.

On Monday, Lowe got the start in right, with DeLuca in center and Randy Arozarena in left. The Rays will also mix in scuffling center fielder Jose Siri and designated hitter/corner outfielder Harold Ramírez along with Amed Rosario and Richie Palacios, both of whom are capable of playing the infield.

Palacios figures to see more time at second base, where he started Saturday and Sunday after spending the first month of the season in the outfield. Rosario started at second on Monday, will continue to back up at shortstop and figures to be the backup at third base now that Mead has been optioned.

“'Balance' is a good word,” Cash said. “It'll kind of be mix and matching as we go.”