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DeLuca will start in center field and bat fifth in Monday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The Rays have deployed DeLuca as a short-side platoon player for most of the season, but he could get the chance to play more regularly against right-handed pitching after Jake Fraley (hernIa) was placed on the injured list Sunday. Though he'll be included in the lineup against Orioles lefty Trevor Rogers on Monday, DeLuca started versus righties in the final two games of the Rays' weekend series versus Miami.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Stuffs stat sheet in win Tuesday
Rotowire
DeLuca went 3-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI and a stolen base in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-inning win over the Blue Jays.
DeLuca doubled home a run off lefty starter Patrick Corbin in the first inning and doubled again off struggling reliever Jeff Hoffman in the seventh. He later singled and stole his sixth base of the season in the top of the ninth. DeLuca now has three multi-hit games in his last 10 appearances and is slashing .280/.316/.441 with two home runs, 15 RBI, 16 runs scored, six stolen bases and a 5:19 BB:K across 99 plate appearances this season.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Logs fifth steal
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DeLuca went 2-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored in Thursday's 8-4 win over the Red Sox.
DeLuca was in the lineup for the third time in four games since the Rays have faced three left-handed starters in that stretch. The outfielder is firmly in a short-side platoon role, but he offers a bit of speed and decent contact skills when he plays. He's batting .284 with a .762 OPS, two home runs, 14 RBI, 16 runs scored, seven doubles and five steals on six attempts over 86 plate appearances. He has appeared in all seven of the Rays' games in May so far, going 6-for-21 (.286) for the month.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Handling short-side platoon role
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DeLuca went 1-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Toronto.
DeLuca doubled off Blue Jays southpaw Patrick Corbin for his seventh two-bagger of the year. While DeLuca tends to sit versus right-handed pitching, he's been effective in his part-time role for the Rays. Over 34 at-bats against left-handers, the righty-hitting outfielder is batting .294 with two home runs, four doubles and nine RBI.
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Rays' Jake Fraley: Taking seat Sunday
Rotowire
Fraley is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Even with the Rays facing right-hander Mitch Keller in the series finale, Fraley will cede his spot in right field to Jonny DeLuca. Fraley has recorded hits in five of his last six starts but is still holding down a pedestrian .227/.292/.364 slash line over 48 plate appearances.
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Rays' Cedric Mullins: Hits extra-innings homer in win
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Mullins went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and three RBI in Saturday's 8-7 extra-innings win over the Pirates.
Mullins singled home Jonny DeLuca in the fifth inning and later delivered the eventual game-winning homer with a two-run shot to break a 6-6 tie in the top of the 13th. It was Mullins' second homer of the season. The veteran has had a rough go of things at the plate in his first season with the Rays, slashing .149/.205/.284 with just four extra-base hits, eight RBI, seven runs scored, three stolen bases and a 3:16 BB:K across 75 plate appearances.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Hits three-run homer in win
Rotowire
DeLuca went 1-for-1 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's win over the White Sox.
DeLuca entered the game as a pinch hitter for Jake Fraley in the seventh inning and took Tyler Gilbert deep with a three-run blast to bolster the Rays' lead to 8-0. This was DeLuca's second homer of the season, and it was also the third straight game in which he drove in at least one run. DeLuca has also hit safely in four of his last five games, notching a .824 OPS in 17 at-bats over that stretch.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Notches first steal
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DeLuca went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to the Cubs.
DeLuca notched his first steal of the season on his second attempt. He's been in a short-side platoon role to begin the campaign, going 6-for-21 (.286) with one home run, four RBI, five runs scored and a double over nine contests. DeLuca provides depth around the outfield for the Rays, though he could push Cedric Mullins, who is batting .122 through 11 games, for playing time in center field.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Drives in two in OD loss
Rotowire
DeLuca went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Cardinals.
With left-hander Matthew Liberatore on the mound for St. Louis, DeLuca got the start in right field and batted sixth for Tampa Bay. He drove in a pair with a single in the sixth inning. DeLuca missed most of the 2025 season battling shoulder, hamstring and quadriceps injuries, requiring two stints of the 60-day injured list. Now healthy, DeLuca figures to see regular playing time against left-handed pitching to begin the season.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: In Saturday's lineup
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DeLuca (hamstring/quad) will start in center field and bat seventh during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
DeLuca ended the 2025 campaign on the 60-day IL with a right quad strain, but after a full offseason of recovery, he's ready to return to the field for the Rays' spring opener. As one of the team's few right-handed outfield bats, the 27-year-old figures to see regular action against southpaws this year.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: In line for short-side role
Rotowire
DeLuca (hamstring/quad) is likely to see regular at-bats against left-handed pitching this season, per John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times.
DeLuca stands out as one of Tampa Bay's few right-handed-hitting outfielders, considering the club's primary options consist of as lefty-hitters Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley. DeLuca ended the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list due to a right quadriceps strain, so he'll need to prove he's healthy during spring training before the Rays trust him to handle this role. The 27-year-old posted a promising .812 OPS with six stolen bases through 59 regular-season plate appearances amidst an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, and it doesn't sound like he'll open the new year in a spot for everyday action.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Shifts to 60-day IL
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The Rays transferred DeLuca (hamstring/quad) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
DeLuca has already been ruled out for the rest of the year after suffering a right quad strain at Triple-A Durham, so the Rays will move him to the 60-day IL to free up a 40-man roster spot for Garrett Acton.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Out for season with quad injury
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DeLuca suffered a right quad strain during a rehab game at Triple-A Durham and will miss the remainder of the season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Injuries to DeLuca's shoulder and hamstring have limited him to just 20 games in the majors this season, during which he slashed .333/.356/.456 with four RBI, five runs scored and six stolen bases. Now dealing with a quad injury, the Rays will shut the 27-year-old down for the year and pivot to getting him ready for the start of the 2026 campaign.
DeLuca (hamstring) went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his first rehab game with Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.
DeLuca also played seven innings in center field in what was his first game since suffering a left hamstring strain three weeks earlier. There's no word on when the Rays plan to activate DeLuca from the 10-day injured list, but it could be any day now. He's been limited to just 20 games this season due to various injuries.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Resumes running
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The Rays announced Tuesday that DeLuca (hamstring) has resumed a running progression, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
DeLuca is in the midst of his second stint on the injured list of the season after he suffered a left hamstring strain Aug. 6. The Rays fully anticipate that DeLuca will return by the end of the season, and the fact that he's already running again backs up that sentiment. He may be limited to a short-side platoon role in the outfield once he's activated.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: On 10-day IL
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The Rays placed DeLuca on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to Aug. 7, due to a left hamstring strain, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
DeLuca left Wednesday's game against the Angels with tightness in his left hamstring, and further testing revealed he's dealing with a strain. Tristan Peters was recalled from Triple-A Durham and Connor Seabold was designated for assignment in corresponding moves.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Exits game with hamstring injury
Rotowire
DeLuca was removed in the sixth inning of Wednesday's game against the Angels due to left hamstring tightness, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
DeLuca went 1-for-3 with a triple before being replaced by Jake Mangum in center field. DeLuca -- who has seen regular playing time in the oufield over the past week -- will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury, and the Rays should provide an update after Wednesday's contest.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Sticking in lineup Wednesday
Rotowire
DeLuca will start in center field and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Angels, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
DeLuca will be included in the lineup for the seventh straight contest, but it's not yet clear if he'll be in line for regular starts against right-handed pitching after fellow outfielder Chandler Simpson returned to action in Tuesday's 7-3 win following a four-game absence due to a finger issue. The Rays could open up more time for DeLuca if they opt to rotate a number of other regulars at the designated-hitter spot and commit to Yandy Diaz as a full-time first baseman while Jonathan Aranda (wrist) is on the injured list.
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