New AL All-Star Brandon Lowe’s playing status in doubt

By: Mark Didtler, The Associated Press Posted: 5:25 PM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 3, 2019 Last Modified: 5:36 PM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 3, 2019

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe was added to the AL All-Star team Wednesday but the rookie may not be able to play in next Tuesday night's game because of a right leg injury.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/07/2019 (2313 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe was added to the AL All-Star team Wednesday but the rookie may not be able to play in next Tuesday night’s game because of a right leg injury.

Lowe was forced out of Tuesday night’s game soon after sharply fouling a ball off his leg in the sixth inning of a 6-3 win over Baltimore. He finished the at-bat, grounding a single to left, but struggled to reach first base.

“As of right now, nothing is really set in stone,” Lowe said Wednesday. “We’re still looking at stuff, doing some treatment. Hopefully the next couple days we’ll know more but as of right now it’s too soon to say anything.”

Tampa Bay Rays' Brandon Lowe stands on first base after limping to the bag on a ground-ball single to left off Baltimore Orioles starter Asher Wojciechowski during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 2, 2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Lowe hit a foul ball off his right leg during the at-bat and left the game after his base hit. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

Lowe and centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier were both out of the lineup for Wednesday night’s game with Baltimore.

Kiermaier was scratched about 90 minutes before first pitch because of left wrist soreness.

X-rays on Lowe taken Tuesday night were negative. He is hitting .276 with a team-leading 16 homers and 49 RBIs.

Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash is hopeful the injury is nothing more than a deep bruise.

“Obviously still a lot of pain,” Cash said. “We expected that he’d be in a lot of pain. Everything we’ve looked at has been negative so far. We should have a better idea tomorrow.”

Lowe plans to attend the All-Star Game even if he can’t play.

“I’m extremely excited,” Lowe said. “It’s a huge honour.”

Lowe is taking the spot of Los Angeles Angels infielder Tommy La Stella as an injury replacement.

Pitcher Charlie Morton and outfielder Austin Meadows will also be representing the Rays.

Morton is scheduled to start Sunday against the AL East-leading New York Yankees, which will keep him from pitching for the AL squad.

Also, the Rays have put first baseman Ji-Man Choi on the 10-day injured list with a strained left ankle and recalled infielder Mike Brosseau from Triple-A Durham.

Tampa Bay Rays' Brandon Lowe tries to walk after hitting a foul tip off his right leg on a pitch from Baltimore Orioles starter Asher Wojciechowski during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 2, 2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

Choi is hitting .266 with nine homers and 33 RBIs in 70 games. He has just eight hits in his past 46 at-bats.

Choi, hurt running the bases Monday night, hopes to be back right after the All-Star break.

Tampa Bay dealt reliever Casey Sadler to the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor league right-hander Nathan Witt, who was assigned to Class A Bowling Green. Sadler had been designated for assignment on Saturday.