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Just as the Tampa Bay Rays were starting to get healthier, they’ve been hit with another tough blow. The team announced that shortstop Ha-Seong Kim has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a low back strain, retroactive to July 22. In a corresponding move, outfielder Jonny DeLuca was reinstated from the 60-day IL, while right-hander Jacob Waguespack was designated for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot.
Kim’s latest injury comes at a brutal time for a Rays squad already without All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, who remains sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The infield depth, already tested, now faces a real crunch as Tampa Bay pushes through a crucial stretch of games leading up to the July 31 trade deadline.
Kim’s back issue flared up during Monday’s 8-3 loss to the White Sox. After walking and stealing second base in the second inning, Kim fielded the final out of the third at shortstop. But when the fourth inning began, he was replaced defensively by Taylor Walls, with José Caballero entering the game at second. Postgame, Kim explained that his back “tightened up really strongly” during his slide into second.
“I tried to play through it, but I didn't think it was going to work,” Kim said through interpreter David Lee.
Rays dealing with the injury bug ahead of trade deadline
Rays manager Kevin Cash said they wouldn’t know the full extent of Kim’s injury until further testing, but the move to the IL suggests the team is proceeding with caution. “We're going to have to kind of put our heads together and think what's best for certainly the injured guys, and then our team and being able to cover games,” Cash said.
The timing is especially frustrating for Kim, who has had a stop-and-start first season with the Rays. After signing with the team in February while rehabbing from shoulder surgery, Kim was activated from the 60-day IL on July 3 and made his debut the following day. However, he exited that game early with calf tightness and didn’t return to the lineup until July 8. In total, Kim has made 10 starts in the field — eight at shortstop and two at second base — while the Rays have closely monitored the workload on his surgically repaired shoulder.
“Throughout my career, I've never been hurt this many times, so it's really disappointing,” Kim admitted. “I put in the hard work rehabbing, running, conditioning, everything, and I thought I would be ready.”
Meanwhile, Lowe remains day-to-day with foot pain that flared up last weekend. Though he’s no longer wearing a walking boot and has reported improvement, the Rays aren’t rushing him back, wary of a more serious setback.
With both Kim and Lowe sidelined, Tampa Bay faces a thin infield bench and some tough roster decisions. The hope is that both can return soon — but in the meantime, the Rays may have no choice but to explore additional depth before the deadline.
