BOSTON -- Eric Sogard spent the weekend playing against the Rays in a Blue Jays uniform. But after a trade sent him to Tampa Bay on Sunday, the infielder is ready to acclimate himself with his new club.

“I was excited to hear that it was the Rays,” Sogard said before Tuesday's 6-5 win over the Red Sox, in which he knocked in a run with a groundout in the fifth inning. “I remember being in the Blue Jays' dugout as it happened, thinking, ‘I’m pretty sure I should be rooting for the Rays right now.’ … It was neat. I’m excited to be here with this group, and I’m excited for the run down the stretch.”

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At age 33, Sogard is enjoying a breakout season that has seen him post a .300/.363/.477 slash line in 73 games. Sogard also has a career-high 10 home runs. He had hit just 11 in his first eight seasons in the big leagues.

The Rays are expected to insert Sogard at the top of the lineup against right-handed pitchers. Sogard will also play second and third base, rotating time with Matt Duffy, Joey Wendle and Mike Brosseau, depending on the matchups.

“He’s had a really, really good year to date,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He plays everywhere. Really good defense. He really puts together tough at-bats. High-contact guy, and I think he’ll complement our offense, our defense really, really well, so look for him to play and get in there quite a bit.”

The outfield is another option for Sogard, who has played seven games there this season, six of them in right.

“I can see him playing everywhere because we’re banged up,” Cash said. “He could be in the infield, and we could make a [lineup] change in the middle of the game that pushes him into the outfield, so I think he’s going to be all over the place.”

Regardless of where he plays, Sogard said that he’s excited to join a team that’s in the thick of the playoff race. The Rays entered Tuesday’s game against the Red Sox just a one-half game behind Oakland for the second American League Wild Card spot.

“As a player, you want to play in October, and that’s the goal,” Sogard said. “To come to a group of guys who are battling every day and right in the mix, I’m excited to be here, and I hope I can help out a lot.”

Kiermaier joins team, expected to be activated Wednesday
Kevin Kiermaier, who landed on the 10-day injured list on July 21 with a sprained left thumb, joined the team in Boston on Tuesday, and the center fielder is expected to be activated before Wednesday’s game against the Red Sox.

“Feels great being back, and I certainly feel good enough to go,” Kiermaier said. “I know it’s not going to be totally 100 percent for a little bit, but good enough to go. I tested it out every way possible in my two [rehab] games there in Clearwater. I feel ready.”

Kiermaier said that there’s still some soreness, especially when he hits, but it's not something that he thinks will linger past a couple of days. The Rays will have to make a roster move to activate him.

Other injury updates
● Ryne Stanek (right hip soreness) threw 20 pitches off the mound Monday at Tropicana Field and is scheduled to throw one inning on Wednesday for Class A Advanced Charlotte in Bradenton. Cash said the right-hander will need only one rehab game before the team looks to activate him.

● José Alvarado (right oblique strain) continues to progress and threw from 90 feet on Tuesday. He’s scheduled to throw a 20-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday in St. Petersburg. Alvarado has also been working on a new diet and hopes to return in better shape.

● Tyler Glasnow (right forearm strain) is scheduled to begin throwing on Monday. His timetable is still unclear. Because of the limited amount of time he'll have to build back up as a starter, the right-hander could be an option as a reliever if he progresses well over the next month or so.

● Cash said that Brandon Lowe and Yandy Díaz are still “a ways away” from returning from their injuries. Lowe (right shin bone bruise) has been sidelined since July 3, while Diaz (left foot contusion) landed on the injured list on July 23.