Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
As the Tampa Bay Rays went into action and clobbered the Colorado Rockies 8-3 on Sunday, they did so without starting shortstop Yunel Escobar, who took an 86 mph pitch to the left hand from Rockies starter Jon Garland the previous night.
On Sunday, it revealed that Escobar did not suffer a broken hand and is merely dealing with a day-to-day ailment.
“I’m happy and grateful it’s not broken,” Escobar said through an interpreter, according to The Associated Press. “It’s pretty swollen right now. It feels kind of stiff, but it’s OK.” Rays manager Joe Maddon added “He’s fine. There is no break. It’s definitely going to be two or three days that he cannot play.”
In the game where Escobar was injured, Ben Zobrist moved from second base to shortstop and Ryan Roberts took over as both pinch-runner and second baseman. Zobrist missed Sunday’s contest and will also potentially miss Monday’s, as Tampa Bay Times reporter Marc Tompkin has tweeted that Zobrist has left to the team temporarily due to the death of his grandmother.
In Sunday’s win, Sean Rodriguez filled in at shortstop but only reached base once, going 0-for-3 along with an error in the field. Further deepening issues at the moment for Maddon is that Rodriguez is the only shortstop currently on roster.
Roberts played second base again on Sunday, providing a pleasant surprise with a bat that had only compiled a .236 batting average and .276 on-base percentage. Colorado might be able to survive another day with this depleted lineup if Roberts can replicate his 2-for-4, two-RBI mark from Sunday, and if Rodriguez performs a little better.
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
