Rays pitcher Griffin Jax day to day after being hit in the back by a 107 mph liner

By: The Associated Press Posted: 7:15 PM CDT Tuesday, May. 26, 2026 Last Modified: 12:57 AM CDT Wednesday, May. 27, 2026

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BALTIMORE (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Griffin Jax is day to day with a bruised lower back after leaving his start in a 6-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles a few batters after being hit by a 107.2 mph line drive in the second inning Tuesday night.

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After the game, Jax told reporters he was “100% confident” he would feel good enough to make his next start.

“Arm feels great. Body feels great,” Jax said. “Just going through some basic movements, don’t feel too limited. It’s all in all scary, but I think it was a safe place to be hit.”

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax is examined by a trainer after an injury during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

With a runner on first base after a fielding error by Jax and the Rays leading 1-0, Leody Taveras hit a liner that struck the pitcher in his back. Jax immediately went down near the mound while the ball bounced to third baseman Junior Caminero, who couldn’t make a diving play. Second baseman Richie Palacios recovered it, but Taveras was safe with a hit.

Meanwhile, Jax grabbed at the right side of his back while on the ground as head athletic trainer Joe Benge and manager Kevin Cash rushed to check on him. After a few moments, Jax was helped back to his feet, he threw a warmup pitch and stayed in the game.

After giving up a single to Jeremiah Jackson to load the bases, Jax struck out Colton Cowser for the first out. Blaze Alexander reached on a fielder’s choice grounder that Palacios bobbled after it took a bad hop off the second base bag, tying it at 1. Jackson Holliday followed with an RBI single and Taylor Ward’s sacrifice fly made it 3-1 before Jax got Gunnar Henderson on a flyout for the final out.

Garrett Cleavinger replaced Jax, who said his back was tightening with every pitch, to start the third inning. Jax (1-3) took the loss after allowing three runs — none earned — and three hits with three strikeouts on 26 pitches in his two innings.