The Tampa Bay Rays recently placed both Shane McClanahan and Brandon Lowe on the injured list. But they also got a positive update on Wander Franco.
Marly Rivera of ESPN shared the following update on the Rays shortstop:
“Wander Franco says he feels ‘super good' and believes he’s just a few days away from coming back. Said he’s scheduled to hit during batting practice today. Started hitting BP about 4 days ago. If all continues to go well, expects he’ll be sent to Durham for a few rehab games.”
It goes without saying, but Wander Franco's impending return is critical for the Rays. Tampa Bay has an outside chance of winning the AL East given the New York Yankees' recent struggles. However, they want to lock up a Wild Card spot at the very least.
It should be noted that the shortstop was not having a great year for the Rays. He is slashing .260/.308/.396 in 58 games with 5 home runs. But the Rays offense has been their weakness in 2022. Any form of offensive upgrade is valuable.
Additionally, Wander Franco's ceiling alone makes him a vital asset. He's the kind of player who can get hot in a hurry and completely change the dynamic of a lineup.
The Rays are hopeful he can return soon. If All-Star pitcher Shane McClanahan is able to return in mid-September as well, Tampa Bay will have a strong shot of making a deep postseason run. They don't feature much in the way of star-power, but they are a talented team capable of upsetting the odds.
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