Rays' Taylor Walls: Three hits in Tuesday's nightcap
Rotowire
Walls went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
The shortstop led the charge in a 6-1 win for the Rays that clinched the AL East crown, and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Walls is in the lineup for his defense, not his offense, but despite a hip issue that cost him a good chunk of September, he's put together a .289/.364/.342 slash line over 46 plate appearances since Aug. 28 with two doubles, two steals, five RBI and nine runs in 13 contests.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Exiting lineup for first game
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Walls is absent from the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader versus the Yankees.
The Rays will roll out Ben Williamson at shortstop for Tuesday's matinee. Walls should be back to man the position for the nightcap.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Reinstated from injured list
Rotowire
The Rays activated Walls (hip) from the 10-day injured list Thursday.
Walls required just a minimum 10-day absence as he recovered from a right hip flexor strain. He'll return to a lowly .218/.304/.292 batting line. Nick Madrigal was sent down to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding roster move.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Nearing return from IL
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Rays manager Kevin Cash said Wednesday that Walls (hip) felt good during his workouts Tuesday, and the team is encouraged by the shortstop's progress, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Walls hit the 10-day injured list Sept. 8 with a right hip flexor strain, but it sounds like he won't miss much more than the minimum, with Bass indicating Walls could return as soon as Thursday. Now 30, Walls is a .199/.290/.297 career hitter over parts of six MLB seasons. However, Tampa Bay values his defense, and that aspect of his game has kept Walls in a regular role throughout the season (110 starts).
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Shelved by hip flexor strain
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The Rays placed Walls on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a right hip flexor strain, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Walls didn't play in his team's last game Sunday, so it seems he's been dealing with the injury for a few days. He'll be eligible to return Sept. 18, but it's unclear whether Walls has a chance to be ready on that date. Jorge Mateo will likely handle the bulk of the reps at shortstop while Walls is shelved.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Idle Sunday
Rotowire
Walls is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
Walls will hit the bench for the series finale after he went 0-for-6 with a walk while starting in both of the past two contests. Jorge Mateo will cover shortstop in place of Walls.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Idle Thursday
Rotowire
Walls is not in the lineup against the Rangers on Thursday.
Walls started the Rays' previous six games, during which he went 7-for-20 with two RBI and two stolen bases. He's getting a breather Thursday while Jorge Mateo starts at shortstop and bats seventh.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Getting breather Wednesday
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Walls is out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Detroit.
Walls will rest during Wednesday's matinee after starting the previous five games. Jorge Mateo will start at shortstop and will bat eighth for the Rays.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Taking seat Monday
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Walls is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Walls is in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak, but he'll put it on hold for a night as the Rays give him some rest. Jorge Mateo will step in at shortstop in place of Walls, who is still slashing just .240/.296/.360 since the All-Star break in spite of his recent hot stretch at the dish.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Launches pair of homers in win
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Walls went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Tuesday's 12-4 win over the Athletics.
Walls delivered a rare display of power by homering from both sides of the plate Tuesday. He ended a 105-game regular-season homer drought dating back to July 27 of last year by going deep left-handed off Mason Barnett in the fourth inning before launching another homer as a right-handed hitter off Brady Basso in the sixth. The two long balls were his first of the season and were particularly surprising considering Walls has just 24 homers across 581 career games. He entered Tuesday batting just .135 over his previous 14 contests. Walls owns a .216 average with a .605 OPS and 18 stolen bases across 97 games this season.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Scratched from lineup Saturday
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Tampa Bay scratched Walls from the lineup for Saturday's game against the Mariners due to lower-back tightness, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Walls was penciled in for a fifth consecutive start at shortstop but will instead hit the bench due to the back issue. Carson Williams will replace Walls at shortstop and bat ninth for Tampa Bay.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Returning to lineup Tuesday
Rotowire
Walls (fingers) will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Tuesday's game versus the Rangers.
Walls missed four games with two hyperextended fingers on his left hand, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go in Tuesday's series opener. The slick-fielding, light-hitting shortstop is slashing just .223/.313/.296 with zero home runs and 15 stolen bases for the Rays this season.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Sitting again Sunday
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Walls (fingers) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
It's the fourth straight absence for Walls, who hyperextended the middle and ring fingers on his left hand during a slide into second base Wednesday. Tampa Bay has a team day off Monday, so the 30-year-old will have had nearly a week off to recover by the time Tuesday's series opener versus the Rangers rolls around. Ben Williamson is receiving another start at shortstop Sunday for the Rays.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Battling hyperextended fingers
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Walls was diagnosed with hyperextended middle and ring fingers on his left hand following Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Walls suffered the injury while sliding into second base in the fifth inning. He was able to play through the injury and finish the contest, but manager Kevin Cash said after the game that Walls will likely sit out Thursday's series finale as a precaution. Ben Williamson will presumably fill in as Tampa Bay's shortstop and could continue to do so if Walls is forced to miss any additional starts.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Taking seat Saturday
Rotowire
Walls is out of the lineup for Saturday's matchup against Boston, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Walls is absent from the lineup Saturday as the Rays match up against left-hander Patrick Sandoval. The 29-year-old went a combined 2-for-6 with a double and a strikeout in Friday's doubleheader. Ben Williamson will take over at shortstop and bat sixth Saturday.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Resting Sunday
Rotowire
Walls is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros.
Walls will get a breather after he went 10-for-36 (.278 average) with one stolen base, nine runs and two RBI while starting in the Rays' previous 11 games. Ben Williamson will replace Walls at shortstop and will bat sixth in the series finale.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Taking seat Monday
Rotowire
Walls is not in the lineup for Monday's tilt against the Royals.
The Rays will go with Ben Williamson at shortstop in the series opener. Walls had started each of the previous six contests.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Getting break Sunday
Rotowire
Walls is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
The Rays will give Walls a rest after he started at shortstop each of the past three days while going a collective 4-for-8 with two walks, two stolen bases, one run and one RBI. Ben Williamson will cover shortstop in Walls' stead in the series finale.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Not in lineup Tuesday
Rotowire
Walls is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox.
Walls has dealt with a hamstring issue this month, but this seems to be a routine day of rest. Ben Williamson will draw the start at shortstop for the Rays.
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Rays' Taylor Walls: Back in lineup Friday
Rotowire
Walls (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Marlins, playing shortstop and batting ninth.
Walls was removed from Monday's game against the Tigers due to hamstring tightness and didn't start Tuesday or Wednesday ahead of the team's off day Thursday. Walls has an ugly .208/.313/.285 slash line with no homers and 14 RBI across 155 plate appearances this season.
