Rasmus comes off DL, makes Rays debut

MIAMI -- After opening the season on the 10-day disabled list while continuing to recover from hip surgery, Rays outfielder Colby Rasmus was activated on Tuesday. To make room on the 25-man roster, Tampa Bay designated outfielder Shane Peterson for assignment.
"I feel pretty good coming in," Rasmus said before Tampa Bay's 3-1 win over Miami.
He made his Rays debut in the seventh inning, pinch-hitting for Alex Cobb and drawing an eight-pitch walk. Rasmus' surgery after the 2016 season repaired his hip, a hernia and a groin problem. He allowed that there was no way to tell how long it would take him to make his return.
"Everybody's body works different," Rasmus said. "And different things happen in different instances. Everything is different, I didn't know what I was getting into. So when I knew I had to have surgery, I just went into it, I'm going to have surgery and when I get back, I'll be there."
Manager Kevin Cash said the Rays view Rasmus as the team's left fielder. Corey Dickerson started there Tuesday night at Marlins Park.
"Saying that, Corey Dickerson has done a nice job for us in left," Cash said. "He'll get some reps out there, but if we're all healthy, we plan on Colby playing a lot of left field."
Rasmus' return reduces the number of Tampa Bay players on the DL to six. Rasmus signed a one-year, $5 million free-agent deal with the Rays on Jan. 30, 2017.
Peterson hit .263 with a home run and six RBIs in 14 games for the Rays this season, earning praise from Cash.

"Outstanding," the manager said. "It was kind of bittersweet to shake his hand and thank him for everything he did offensively and defensively. Selfishly, we'd love to have him in [Triple-A] Durham, but for his future, I hope he gets picked up because he's a Major League player."