Rays second baseman Gavin Lux and outfielder Jake Fraley each had big nights for Triple-A Durham as they continued their respective rehab assignments on Tuesday.
Lux went 3-for-4 with three well-struck singles as the designated hitter while Fraley launched a three-run home run and played four innings in right field in the 9-8 Bulls victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Lux is working his way back from a myriad of ailments, the latest being a bout of left shoulder inflammation that originated in mid-May. The 28-year-old first landed on the IL ahead of Opening Day with a right shoulder injury that he battled through much of the spring. He then suffered an unrelated setback when he sprained his ankle while on a rehab assignment.
This was the third game that Lux has played on his latest rehab assignment, which he re-started on June 30. All three of his base hits were hard-hit balls, with an exit velocity greater than 95 mph.
When the Rays acquired Lux from the Reds in a three-team deal in January, they envisioned him serving as their everyday second baseman. He owns a career .713 OPS in parts of six Major League seasons.
Fraley's home run started a back-to-back-to-back with Carson Williams and Jacob Melton.
Fraley has been sidelined since May 16 after undergoing a procedure to address a sports hernia. He was hitting .232 with a .690 OPS through 28 games in his first year with the Rays after signing a one-year contract in November.
This was Fraley’s fourth game on his rehab assignment, which began for the FCL Rays on June 27. He was originally expected to miss six to eight weeks.