A promising start to the season came to a sudden stop Wednesday when the Tampa Bay Rays placed Jonny DeLuca on the 10-day injured list. The outfielder, who hit an impressive .435 average in nine games, is dealing with a right shoulder strain.
Before getting hurt, DeLuca was a fixture in center field early this season. He started seven of eight games and put up an impressive 1.002 OPS with 0.5 WAR. Team doctors indicate he'll need additional recovery time beyond April 17 to return to action.
Triple-A Durham's Coco Montes got called up to fill the spot. The infielder has struggled at the plate in Durham this year - managing just a .118 average through eight games.
DeLuca's injury is the second outfield loss for Tampa Bay this month. Josh Lowe suffered a serious Grade 2 right oblique strain on Opening Day, sidelining him until at least May.
With their outfield depth taking hits, the Rays have turned to new faces. Rookies Kameron Misner and Jake Mangum, brought up after Lowe went down, now find themselves in more prominent roles.
Montes joins after a short run with Colorado last year where he had trouble at the plate. In 18 games for the Rockies, he hit just .184 with a disappointing .316 slugging percentage.
Time is pressing as Tampa Bay works to cover their outfield holes through late April. While the season started with plenty of outfield options, early injuries have tested the team's depth significantly.
