PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The Rays’ Opening Day roster is not yet set, but it is coming into clearer focus.
After they optioned infielder/outfielder Richie Palacios, outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and right-hander Joe Boyle to Triple-A Durham on Friday, the Rays informed non-roster left-hander Cam Booser on Saturday that he would not make the team.
Booser will stay in Spring Training with the Rays and pitch in a game before the team heads north to St. Louis. He has an assignment clause in his Minor League contract that will allow him to pursue an opportunity elsewhere before Opening Day, so he has a few days to evaluate his options and decide what comes next.
Booser, the 33-year-old lefty with an incredible story of perseverance, has pitched well this spring. In nine outings, he has allowed just one run on three hits and four walks while striking out nine.
With Booser no longer a candidate for a spot in the bullpen, the Rays essentially have seven relievers left to fill five spots: Hunter Bigge, Mason Englert, Yoendrys Gómez, Luis Guerrero, Kevin Kelly, Ian Seymour and Cole Sulser. The club also typically monitors the market for any intriguing arms that might become available as other teams shuffle their rosters during the final days of Spring Training.
Griffin Jax, Garrett Cleavinger and Bryan Baker will handle most of the high-leverage work to start the season. Edwin Uceta (shoulder) will also be a part of the late-inning mix, but he is set to begin the season on the injured list.
There are a few things to consider as the Rays put together their relief corps. First, it’s worth noting that Gómez and Sulser are out of Minor League options, so Tampa Bay would risk losing the two right-handers by not carrying them on the Opening Day roster.
The Rays also like to have at least two pitchers capable of working up to three innings, especially as they ease in a couple starters facing workload restrictions, namely Steven Matz and Shane McClanahan. That should work in favor of Englert, Gómez and Seymour.
As far as whittling down their position player group, most of the Rays’ work appears to be done. They still have not made a final decision regarding the shortstop position following Taylor Walls’ right oblique injury, which will result in him starting the season on the injured list.
Top prospect Carson Williams has returned to big league camp, even though he was technically optioned to the Minors on Tuesday. The Rays essentially have three options: make Williams the starting shortstop, acquire someone else to play shortstop or use Ben Williamson as the shortstop with someone else handling his utility-infield role.
“With Carson being here, we brought him back for a reason,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ll just see how it plays out. You’re kind of at the mercy of all the decisions that maybe [president of baseball operations] Erik [Neander] might make. But there’s no timetable [until] rosters need to be set.”
Camp notes
• Second baseman Gavin Lux was scratched from Saturday’s lineup against the Twins at Charlotte Sports Park due to what Cash called a “cranky” right shoulder. “The hope is for Gavin to be right back in there,” Cash said, but they didn’t want him to push through a potential issue. Ryan Vilade started at second base.
• As they wrap up their Grapefruit League schedule on the road before beginning the regular season with a three-city road trip, the Rays will give their position players a chance to work inside the repaired Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay’s outfielders will field fly balls and some grounders on Sunday morning to see how the new roof and turf play, then the club’s infielders will do some defensive work at the Trop on Monday. Players won’t hit on the field or use the clubhouse, but it will give them an opportunity to gain a little comfort in their home ballpark before the April 6 home opener.