26 Ji-Man Choi 1B

Choi (knee) is starting at designated hitter and batting cleanup Wednesday against the Pirates, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

He has been eased into spring action after dealing with right knee soreness early in camp. Choi is starting at DH in this one, but appears to be on track to get starts at first base in the near future.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Choi (knee) is expected to make his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday against the Pirates, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

With his sore right knee responding well to drills in recent days, Choi looks poised to make his first appearance of the spring in the middle of the week. According to Adam Berry of MLB.com, Choi will likely serve as the Rays' designated hitter Wednesday before getting some work at first base in Thursday's game against the Twins.

Choi (knee) fielded groundballs and took batting practice before Sunday's Grapefruit League opener, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Choi sat out Saturday's workout with right knee soreness, so Sunday's activity level was a welcome sight. The first baseman will have a chance to make his Grapefruit League debut Monday against the Twins, and how his knee responds to Sunday's activity level will play a pivotal role in the decision on whether Choi at least fills a designated hitter role or suits up at all.

Choi didn't work out with the Rays on Saturday due to a sore right knee, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Manager Kevin Cash said that Choi's knee issue likely stemmed from "over work" during the first few days of camp, and he'll be limited in the near future. He won't be able to play in Sunday's Grapefruit League opener, but Cash said that he should be fine in the coming days.

Choi plans to focus exclusively on hitting from the left side this season after experimenting with switch-hitting during the 2020 campaign, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

The South Korean veteran saw all three components of his slash line decline in 2020, so he'll look to return to the form that helped him to a career-high 19 home runs and 63 RBI in 2019, a season during which he solely hit left-handed. Choi reports that he engaged in more heavy lifting than usual this winter since COVID-19 protocols in his native South Korea prevented him from taking any indoor fitness classes during the early part of the offseason.

Choi will earn $2.45 million this season after winning his arbitration case Friday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Choi will make significantly more than the $1.85 million the Rays had offered. He won his case despite hitting a mediocre three homers last season and producing a barely above-average 103 wRC+, the product of a .230/.331/.410 slash line. Choi lines up to continue his platoon role this year.

Choi is out of the lineup Sunday for Game 5 of the World Series versus the Dodgers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

For the second straight day, the lefty-hitting Choi heads to the bench with the Dodgers bringing another southpaw starter (Clayton Kershaw) to the hill. Yandy Diaz will serve as the Rays' first baseman.

Choi will sit for Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Saturday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

The Rays will load up on righties with southpaw Julio Urias on the mound, just as they did in Game 1 against Clayton Kershaw. Yandy Diaz gets the start at first base in Choi's absence.

Choi will sit for Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Tuesday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

The Rays' smart usage of platoons has gotten them this far, and they won't change plans now. Yandy Diaz starts over Choi at first base with the left-handed Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers.

Choi is not in the lineup for Game 6 of the ALCS against the Astros on Friday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Choi went 2-for-2 with a solo homer and two walks during Thursday's Game 5 defeat, and he'll take a seat with lefty Framber Valdez starting for Houston in Game 6. Yandy Diaz receives the start at first bay Friday for the Rays.

Choi went 2-for-2 with two walks and a solo home run in the Rays' Game 5 loss to the Astros on Thursday.

The 29-year-old's second homer of the postseason was a big one as it knotted the game at 1-1 in the eighth inning, though Tampa Bay would ultimately fall short. Choi figures to find himself on the bench against lefty Framber Valdez for Game 6, just like he was for Game 1.

Choi will be on the bench for Game 3 of the ALCS against the Astros on Tuesday.

Choi sits even with a righty (Jose Urquidy) on the mound for the Astros. Yandy Diaz will play first base in his absence.

Choi is not in the lineup for Game 1 of the ALCS against the Astros on Sunday.

The 29-year-old will take a seat in the series opener with southpaw Framber Valdez starting for Houston. Choi is 4-for-18 with one homer, three RBI and three walks over 22 playoff plate appearances this year.

Choi is out of the lineup Wednesday for Game 2 of the Rays' wild-card series with the Blue Jays, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

The hamstring injury that sidelined Choi for the final two weeks of the regular season no longer looks to be a major concern, as he was included on the Rays' postseason roster and came off the bench in Tuesday's 3-1 win to make an appearance as a pinch-hitter. His absence from the lineup Wednesday is likely a result of the Blue Jays bringing a lefty (Hyun-Jin Ryu) to the hill.

Choi is not in the lineup for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against Toronto on Tuesday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Choi made the playoff roster despite being out since mid-September with a strained hamstring. It's unclear whether his absence is injury-related or if the Rays simply prefer other options at his position. Nate Lowe will be the first baseman Tuesday.

Choi (hamstring) will be on the Rays' playoff roster, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Choi has been out since Sept. 12 with a hamstring strain, but he'd been working out and participating in simulated games over the past few days and appeared to be on track for a return. He didn't have the best of seasons before the injury, hitting .230/.331/.410 in 145 plate appearances, but he should still fill a fairly significant role for the Rays in the postseason.

Choi (hamstring) went through what manager Kevin Cash labeled a "lighter day" of workouts Saturday, and optimism remains high for his availability early in the postseason, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Choi ran the bases and hit live pitching Friday, and although he wasn't as active Saturday, he remains on track to suit up sooner rather than later. Cash noted Choi and fellow injured infielder Yandy Diaz will have a more comprehensive workout again Monday, at which point there will be more clarity on both players for a postseason that begins Tuesday.

Choi (hamstring) ran the bases and hit live pitching Friday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Choi has been hitting for a few days but hadn't done much running, so Friday represents a step forward as he works his way back from a strained left hamstring. Time is quite tight for him to return before the end of the regular season, but it looks as though he could be a factor in the playoffs.

Choi (hamstring) is scheduled to take live batting practice against Jose Alvarado (shoulder) at Tropicana Field on Thursday, the Associated Press reports.

Choi also took live batting practice Tuesday but didn't do much running, and it remains to be seen if he'll follow the same protocol Thursday. With the Rays now having clinched the AL East on Wednesday, they could opt to continue taking the cautious route with Choi and exclusively focus on getting the infielder ready for the postseason. Juan Toribio of MLB.com also reports Choi will test himself with what manager Kevin Cash described as "right-at-them groundballs" during the session, "just see how [his] hamstrings feel in the position of fielding a groundball and then coming up and making a throw out of that."

Choi (hamstring) took between five and seven at-bats against live pitching before Tuesday's game but did minimal running, the Associated Press reports.

Manager Kevin Cash reported Choi is still feeling soreness in his left hamstring, and it's possible a decision on his roster status for the first round of the postseason comes down to the wire. Choi has been taking plenty of batting practice in recent days and is now 10 days removed from the original occurrence of the strain, but it appears he still has a ways to go before regaining full mobility.