PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The Rays spread out across the back fields of Charlotte Sports Park late Tuesday morning, sending four waves of pitchers to all four fields to face their teammates over nearly an hour of live batting practice.
Two of Tampa Bay’s most promising players delivered the most memorable highlights. Opening Day starter Shane McClanahan fired his fastball up to 97-98 mph in his first live BP session of the spring, only his second time facing hitters since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2023. And Junior Caminero, fresh off an incredible run to a winter ball championship in the Dominican Republic, launched a home run off Shane Baz.
“Hopefully,” Baz said, “he hits a lot more memorable ones this year.”
McClanahan gave up a couple hits in this year’s more competitive style of live batting practice, but he was pleased overall with the way he felt. The early velocity was obviously a good sign, and he used his entire arsenal. The left-hander said he’s spinning the ball better now that he’s no longer worried about feeling nagging pain after every pitch.
“Expected him to look very close to himself. To go out there and do it Day 1 of lives has got to be a good feeling for him,” manager Kevin Cash said. “Proud of the way that he's gone about his work all offseason, and then to come in being very healthy-looking is such a bright spot for us.”
A highly motivated competitor in any scenario, McClanahan couldn’t help but laugh when non-roster catcher Tres Barrera lined his first pitch to center for a hit.
“I had some words, and then it was good,” he said, laughing. “It's cool to see how everything is playing, because it's different than when you're in the bullpen. Nothing gets hit in the bullpen. So it's cool. It's giving me a chance to work on location, maybe the pitch mix, so I'm glad to be back.”
Shortly after McClanahan finished throwing to catcher Danny Jansen on Field 4, Caminero stepped into the box against Baz on Field 3. Hitters tend to swing more aggressively in live BP, and pitchers focus mostly on throwing strikes. But they still keep track of the ball-strike counts, and Baz wanted to get a fastball in the zone when he fell behind Caminero, 2-0.
Baz had another goal in mind, too.
“Don't hit him,” Baz said, smiling. “I'm like, I'm not going in to him. I'm not even gonna risk it.”
So Baz threw a fastball away, and Caminero -- only a few weeks removed from a sensational run through the LIDOM postseason that ended with a viral home run trot and series MVP honors -- crushed it into a tree just beyond the right-center-field fence.
“He's probably as ready as anybody, just with the reps that he got and the intensity to the environment that he was playing in,” Cash said. “Happy with the way that he's worked on ground balls and taking all of those at-bats very serious.”
Camp notes
• The Rays held their annual full-squad meeting Tuesday morning. Owner Stuart Sternberg, president of baseball operations Erik Neander, Cash and assistant GM Kevin Ibach spoke to the players, coaches and staff. Cash said his message was simple, encouraging them to start building toward Opening Day and that doing so “on the field and off the field are just as important.”
• After battling some physical issues last season, including left knee patellar tendinitis, first baseman Yandy Díaz arrived for Spring Training happy to report no injuries.
“I’m healthy,” Díaz said through interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “As the season progresses, you know you’re going to have some things here and there, but I’m healthy right now.”
• Starter Ryan Pepiot threw two innings of live BP on Tuesday. Pepiot, Zack Littell and Taj Bradley seem to be a bit ahead of Tampa Bay’s other three starters in terms of building their stamina, which makes sense considering their workload last season compared to that of McClanahan, Baz and Drew Rasmussen.
• Expect to see infielder José Caballero getting some work at all three spots in the outfield this spring, potentially playing there as soon as his first game. His outfield experience is limited to two innings with the Mariners, plus some work in winter ball and in the Arizona Fall League. But Cash said he was “very on board” with the idea to find more ways to work Caballero into the lineup beyond his usual work around the infield.
“I'm gonna guess, with his athleticism, he should be a pretty good outfielder,” Cash said. “Watching him shag BP now, he looks very comfortable for a guy that doesn't have too many reps.”