Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe has suffered an oblique injury, The Tampa Bay Times’ Kristie Ackert reported Sunday.
The 26-year-old slugger will not make the Rays' Opening Day roster as a result of the ailment.
Lowe was shut down with left hip inflammation on Feb. 29 and was ruled out of Grapefruit League play for 10-to-15 days. He was recovering according to schedule a week later, and he was finally set to rejoin Tampa Bay's lineup Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
A few hours before the first pitch, however, Lowe got scratched and put on ice due to a second, different injury. Lowe is likely to start the regular season on the injured list, meaning he won’t be able to return to the Rays’ lineup until mid-April.
Lowe had appeared in two Spring Training exhibitions before he went down, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a double.
Last season, Lowe hit .292 with 20 home runs, 83 RBI, 32 stolen bases, an .835 OPS and a 3.7 WAR across 135 games. FanGraphs' ZiPS projections have Lowe on track to hit .259 with 16 home runs, 66 RBI, 25 stolen bases, a .758 OPS and a 2.7 WAR in 132 games in 2024.
Lowe made his MLB debut in 2021, but he only made two appearances that season. By the time he was called back up in 2022, MLB Pipeline had the former first round pick ranked as the No. 2 prospect in Tampa Bay's farm system and the No. 50 prospect in all of baseball.
While Lowe has largely lived up to the hype so far, he won't be able to continue that momentum early on in 2024.
The Rays went all in on Lowe as their starting right fielder this offseason, trading Manuel Margot to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Luke Raley to Seattle Mariners. The pair combined for 67 starts in right in 2023, compared to Lowe's 86.
Trade acquisition Richie Palacios will likely slot in as Tampa Bay's Opening Day right fielder in Lowe's absence, while non-roster invitee Jake Mangum could now compete for a roster spot.
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