As mentioned in the recaps this morning, an Adam Lind comebacker hit Rays starter Jeff Niemann’s right leg last night, knocking him out of the game in the first inning. And now, we learn from the Tampa Bay Times, it has knocked him out for a minimum of 4-6 weeks, as it gave him a small fracture, just above his ankle.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said it was a “bad break,” which suggests that it could be even longer than that. Possibly even several months. This is where the Rays’ considerable pitching depth comes into play. They have Wade Davis in the pen as a possible replacement. They also have Alex Cobb and Chris Archer at Durham who could slide in.
Still, the injuries are piling up for the Rays, and that’s no good at all.
