Ben Williamson returns to lineup, then exits after he's hit by a pitch
Ben Williamson's return to the Rays lineup Friday night was short-lived.
Williamson, who has played second, shortstop and third in his first season in Tampa Bay, was reinstated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Friday's series opener against the Angels after spending nearly two weeks recovering from a lower back strain.
In a corresponding move, infielder Carson Williams was optioned to Triple-A Durham.
Williamson, acquired from Seattle in the offseason, started the game at shortstop, but exited in the sixth after being hit on his left forearm by a pitch. Oliver Dunn replaced Williamson as a pinch runner and stayed in the game at shortstop.
Manager Kevin Cash said postgame that Williamson's X-rays were negative.
"I think we got really good news, so I'm hoping he's available and possibly in there (Saturday)," Cash said.
Williamson said pregame that while his recovery was "a little bit slower" than he would have liked, he has been able to take live at-bats and ground balls with no issues in recent days.
"He's done a lot of good things for us, whether he's playing second or short, like he is (Friday)," Cash said pregame. "The approach at the plate really complements our offense."
"I think (the injury) lasted a little longer than he wanted, but he did some things while we were gone yesterday, and then even earlier today got in there and is a good spot," Cash added.
Taylor Walls, out since Tuesday with hamstring tightness, was not in Friday's starting lineup, but Cash said he took ground balls pregame, "feels a lot better" and would be available off the bench. He entered as a defensive substitution in the ninth, and Dunn moved to third base, replacing Junior Caminero.
Edwin Uceta suffers setback
Reliever Edwin Uceta, Cash said, suffered a setback in his return from a shoulder injury while throwing from 75 feet and received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection.
"He's gonna be a while," Cash said. "Not ideal."
Cole Sulser, meanwhile, is "doing well" after throwing a live bullpen and could be activated soon. Manny Rodriguez is making positive progress, but it hasn't been decided when he'll face hitters, Cash said. Jesse Scholtens had an MRI that revealed "mild tendon inflammation" and is hoping to resume playing catch in the coming days.
Bullpen shuffle
Right-hander Andrew Wantz was called up from Durham to serve as a fresh bullpen arm. Wantz, 30, owns a 7.04 ERA in 18 appearances with the Bulls and pitched in parts of four seasons from 2021-24 in the majors with the Angels.
Jon Heasley, who made a memorable appearance in Wednesday's loss to the Orioles, was designated for assignment.
‘Tarps Off'
Friday's game featured "Tarps Off" festivities in leftfield. Fans seated in the designated sections were given yellow T-shirts that read "I didn't wear this shirt to wear this shirt."
Many obliged, standing shirtless for the entire game while waving their complimentary tees and orchestrating various chants, including "Free Mike Trout," while the future Hall of Famer was up to bat.
Miscellany
The Rays are 16-1 in their last 17 home games. ...Outfielder Jose Siri, who spent two seasons in Tampa Bay, played in his first game against the Rays since they traded him to the Mets in November 2024. Siri doubled in the fifth and scored to put the Angels ahead 2-1, then singled in the ninth.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 6:56 PM.