Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda (62) prepares for the pitch in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 27, 2025. Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay Rays Ravaged by Injuries in Series Finale Against New York Yankees

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Don Strouble | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 5:16 PM ET

Tampa Bay Rays fans were met with both good and bad news on Thursday.

The good news

All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe and slugger Yandy Diaz were not expected to be moved by the 6 p.m. trade deadline, according to Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander.

“Nearly every fiber in our being wants this year to be successful,” Neander told FanDuel’s Ryan Bass.

Neander also said that while Tampa Bay has been fielding calls, they are unlikely to move core pieces such as Lowe and Diaz, who are under contract beyond this season. They traded starting pitcher Zack Littell on Wednesday night, however. He will become an unrestricted free agent.

The bad news

However, Diaz, rookie center fielder Chandler Simpson and All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda all left Thursday’s series finale against the New York Yankees before the end of the fifth inning with injuries.

In the top of the first inning, New York’s Marcus Stroman hit Diaz in the right forearm with a pitch, causing Diaz to leave the game. Later, it was announced that Diaz has a right forearm contusion and his status would be day-to-day moving forward.

Yandy Diaz was removed from the game for X-rays after he was hit in the forearm with a pitch in the first inning, per @jonmorosi pic.twitter.com/AKMNXszgO1
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 31, 2025

Rays’ staff began tending to Simpson after the 24-year-old was seen grimacing following a groundout to end the top of the third inning. He left the game with an injury to his left hand.

The situation worsened for Tampa Bay when Aranda attempted to stretch his arm to tag Giancarlo Stanton out at first base. Aranda got his hand jammed on the play and fell to the ground in pain, leaving the game before rain in the area enforced a delay with the Rays trailing 7-4.

Jonathan Aranda left the game after getting his hand wedged trying to tag Stanton pic.twitter.com/aUvmofWqT6
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 31, 2025

At 54-55 and seventh in the American League wild card race entering play Thursday, the Rays are desperately in need of a healthy lineup if they hope to get back into the playoff picture with just under two months remaining in the season.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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