Jonny

DeLuca

Over the last three weeks, DeLuca has gone 9-for-33 (.273) with three home runs, six RBI, and three steals in 12 games. He continues to play less often than Victor Mesa Jr., which has limited his fantasy upside. However, if DeLuca were to get more playing time, he could be firmly on the radar in deeper formats.

DeLuca drove in a run in the third inning on a base hit and stole second on a double-steal. He then reached on a groundout in the fifth and swiped second for his second steal of the game. DeLuca later took Cristian Javier deep for a solo homer in the seventh. The 27-year-old outfielder has been getting sporadic playing time, hitting .265/.306/.450 with five homers, 25 RBI, and nine steals across 162 plate appearances.

DeLuca has started four straight games and appears to have emerged as a regular starter in center field or right field. Since coming off the injured list earlier in June, he has gone 5-for-18 (.278) with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI, and one steal in six games. He’s slashing .270/.301/.453 in 47 games for the Rays this season and is an option in deeper formats even though he will sit one or two games a week. Victor Mesa Jr. will start in right field and bat eighth on Thursday.

DeLuca’s two-run shot gave Tampa Bay a lead they wouldn’t surrender, and he also doubled. He just returned from the injured list on Friday and has hit second and third against two left-handers over the weekend. He’ll need to carve out more consistent playing time to even become a fantasy option in deeper leagues, but there’s power and speed potential whenever he’s in the lineup.

He’ll resume his role as a platoon outfielder for the Rays. DeLuca has enough speed to be an interesting fantasy play in leagues with daily transactions, but won’t garner enough playing time to be valuable in most leagues.

Rays skipper Kevin Cash confirmed that DeLuca will be ready to return to game action later this week. The 27-year-old outfielder hit the injured list with a mild hamstring strain back in late May. He should make it back to Tampa Bay’s outfield mix at some point later next week.

According to manager Kevin Cash, that will keep DeLuca out 6-8 weeks. The 27-year-old was placed on the IL before Sunday’s game after suffering the hamstring strain during Friday’s game against New York. Assuming no significant setbacks, that puts DeLuca back in Tampa Bay before the end of July.

As anticipated, DeLuca lands on the injured list after suffering a hamstring injury during Friday’s contest against the Yankees. The severity of the strain — and how much time he may miss — are not yet known. Victor Mesa Jr. was recalled from Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move to take his place on the Rays’ roster.

The official roster move is unlikely to be made until later this weekend following Saturday’s rainout at Yankee Stadium. Victor Mesa Jr. is the likely call-up from Triple-A Durham to fill his roster spot. DeLuca left Friday’s series opener with a right hamstring issue that occurred when he went first-to-third on a seventh-inning double by teammate Cedric Mullins. He’s likely facing a multi-week absence, even if the strain proves to be relatively minor.

DeLuca appeared to sustain the injury while going from first to third on a double by Cedric Mullins in the seventh inning and was lifted for a pinch runner. He’ll head for further evaluation. Expect the Rays to provide an update on his status as soon as more information becomes available.