Whether it has been at the plate or in the field through 13 games, new Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jose Caballero has been doing his part to make the memory of former star Wander Franco a distant one.
The Rays and their new shortstop return to St. Petersburg, Fla., for a seven-game homestand that opens against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
Last season at this point, the Rays were sitting pretty as the talk of all of baseball, clicking off a baker's dozen victories and watching records fall on a nightly basis.
Now, they have survived their first jaunt through the West -- a six-game run against the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels -- and finished 4-2, winning both three-game series 2-1.
Caballero was one of the main reasons for the successful trek beyond the Mississippi River.
On Wednesday, after slugging his first homer with the Rays -- a 423-foot shot into the home club's bullpen -- the 27-year-old acquired from the Seattle Mariners displayed the leather on two brilliant occasions.
In the latter with a runner on second and the Angels on the board, he made a backhanded, diving grab of Luis Rengifo's hard two-out grounder, bolted to his feet and heaved a throw that first baseman Yandy Diaz picked to prevent a run.
"Since he got here in the spring, he's been putting in pro at-bats," said starter Zack Littell, who tossed 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball in the 4-2 win. "He's making plays in the field and is a steady presence. Nice to know he's there."
Batting .351 in 11 games so far, Caballero went 7-for-18 (.389) on the road trip and holds a six-game hitting streak.
While warming up Tuesday, second baseman Brandon Lowe noticed a tug in his right oblique. According to manager Kevin Cash, the lefty-swinging slugger, whose 2023 was ended by a knee injury, is expected to miss some time.
After losing five of the first seven games on the road, San Francisco rebounded by splitting six home games against the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals.
Now, manager Bob Melvin's club makes an East Coast run with three games in the Tampa area and another trio in Miami against the futile Marlins.
While the Rays did not announce a Friday starter, Melvin will send out right-hander Keaton Winn (0-2, 5.73) for his third start and first ever against the Rays.
In his last outing, Saturday at home against the Padres, Winn was victimized by friendly fire: his own park.
With early evening starts tough on outfielders in San Francisco, new Giants center fielder Jung Hoo Lee learned a difficult lesson by losing a routine fly ball hit by Xander Bogaerts in the sun. It fell for a single, and Jurickson Profar capitalized five batters later with a two-out grand slam.
The Padres won 4-0.
"It does suck, but it's part of the game and part of pitching at Oracle (Park)," Winn said. "The sun does play a factor. I've got to be able to work through that."
In seven starts over 11 career major league appearances, Winn is 1-5 with a 4.89 ERA while fanning 42 batters in 53 1/3 innings and producing a 1.031 WHIP.
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