Yandy Diaz returns to Rays lineup, but Jonny DeLuca likely headed to IL

NEW YORK - The relief the Rays got from seeing Yandy Diaz back in their lineup Friday was later tempered by the expected loss of outfielder Jonny DeLuca to a right hamstring strain.

DeLuca was hurt running to first base on a seventh-inning single and knew for sure as he couldn't accelerate while going to third on a double by Cedric Mullins.

"It was about probably halfway down the line," DeLuca said. "I looked to see when (shortstop Jose Caballero) dove for it and thought he got it, so I tried to turn on the jets a little bit, and right then it just kind of grabbed."

Manager Kevin Cash said DeLuca was "likely" headed to the injured list. In what seemed a related move, outfielder Victor Mesa Jr., who just returned to action at Triple-A Durham, was pulled from that game in the eighth inning.

"Hopefully it's (a) quick (return)," DeLuca said. "But, yeah, it's just a bummer."

DeLuca made a huge play in the third inning to save a run, unleashing a strong throw to home plate from rightfield, with catcher Nick Fortes making a diving tag on Trent Grisham.

Diaz said he was worried when he was hit on the fingers of both hands by a 93.9 mph Yennier Cano fastball during Tuesday's game against the Orioles.

"Of course, in the moment, I'm not going to lie, I was pretty scared," Diaz said Friday via team interpreter Kevin Vera. "Even just when I went back into the clubhouse. A few minutes passed by, and I kind of took a second and I realized that I was fine."

X-rays and a CT scan late Tuesday confirmed that nothing was broken - though the nail on his right ring finger looked pretty gnarly - and Diaz returned to the lineup on Friday night, going 0-for-3 with a walk.

Though he looked mad at the time of the eighth-inning pitch, he said he had no issues with Cano.

"Not at all - it wasn't intentional," Diaz said. "I had that reaction because 1) I don't like to get hit with baseballs and 2) (especially) anywhere near the hand. But not at all - I didn't take it like that."

Longo weekend update

The Rays announced several additional activities for Longo's Legacy Weekend, when franchise-best player Evan Longoria will be inducted into the team Hall of Fame on July 11 (with the first 10,000 fans getting Longoria snapback hats) and have his No. 3 retired the next day (with the first 10,000 fans getting a Longoria bobblecard).

On July 12, the band Tantric will perform a live rendition of Longoria's iconic walk-up song, "Down and Out." The band also will play a 5 p.m. concert at nearby Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill.

Also new: Exclusive Longoria-themed merchandise will be available at the team store, special branded balls will be used in the games, there will be a Longoria chalk art display inside Gate 1, and a pop-up barbershop will offer Longo-inspired cuts such as the Draft Day cut, Longo-Hawk and Big #3.

Longoria also will participate in a Reading with the Rays session at a local library. For further information, see raysbaseball.com/Longo.

Radio/TV shuffle

With veteran TV play-by-play man Dewayne Staats taking this trip off, the broadcast lineups were shuffled. Andy Freed changed booths to join Brian Anderson on TV. With Neil Solondz and Doug Waechter attending their kids' high school graduations, Chris Adams-Wall and Grant Balfour handled the radio call. Solondz is expected back Saturday.

Miscellany

Heavy rain is forecast for Saturday and Sunday in the New York area, potentially jeopardizing games scheduled for both afternoons. ... New York-raised infielder Richie Palacios attended Thursday's Knicks playoff game with his dad. Also at Madison Square Garden were Adams-Wall, who grew up in Maine and Massachusetts rooting for the blue and orange, as well as Junior Caminero, Cash and TV talkers Anderson and Ryan Bass. … Reliever Aaron Brooks, who was designated for assignment on May 15 following his rough first Rays outing, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple A.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 9:50 PM.