Rays manager Kevin Cash said he expects Diaz (hand) to return to the Grapefruit League lineup Friday against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
A sore left hand has kept Diaz out of the lineup since March 3, but he had been scheduled to resume swinging a bat Tuesday, and Cash's comments suggest that the veteran first baseman responded well to the activity. Diaz could get in some more live at-bats Wednesday and/or Thursday before the Rays clear him to start Friday.