Patience pays off as Rays’ Jonathan Aranda delivers another big hit

TAMPA — Starters Chris Paddack and Zack Littell did their part, taking a scoreless duel into the sixth inning Monday.

But when Brandon Lowe singled and Junior Caminero doubled with one out in the sixth on Paddack’s 90th pitch, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli went to the bullpen, bringing in Brock Stewart.

And Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda made him pay.

Aranda fouled off a fastball, took a low changeup, swung and missed at a high fastball, then turned on a sweeper and drove it 356 feet for a 3-0 lead that was threatened but never taken as the Rays rolled to a sixth straight win, 7-2.

“He’s had a lot of big at bats for us, for sure, this first two months of the season, and that was a big one,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Because Lit and Paddack were kind of going toe to toe, and there wasn’t a ton of offense going on either side.

“B-Lowe got it going, then Cami with the double down the line, makes it second and third. Understand the matchup is pretty challenging with a guy throwing as firm as that, but (Aranda) really hung in there off Stewart, got a pitch he could handle and knocked it out.”

Aranda said his seventh homer overall, and first since May 13, was a product of being able to adjust.

“They were pitching me fastballs, and that specific pitch, I was waiting for a fastball,” he said via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “But I got the sweeper and I was able to hit it out.”

Rehab report

Infielder Ha-Seong Kim started his rehab assignment off well, rapping two hits (around being hit by a pitch) and stealing a base as the DH for Triple-A Durham.

Kim is working his way back from October right shoulder surgery and is expected to spend much of the allotted 20 days with Durham as he hadn’t played in a game since Aug. 18.

Outfielder Jake Mangum (left groin strain) went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in his third game with Durham and, counting a Florida Complex League game, is 5-for-14 overall.

Reliever Kevin Kelly (left gluteal strain) threw 24 pitches over 1 1/3 innings in his second appearance for the Bulls, with another possible.

Outfielder Jonny DeLuca (right shoulder strain) went 1-for-2 with a walk in his second game for the FCL team and is set to join Durham (which is off Tuesday) on Wednesday. Outfielder Travis Jankowski (left groin strain) is also in line to join the Bulls that day.

More minor matters

Hard-throwing right-hander Joe Boyle was removed from Durham’s game after throwing 40 pitches over two innings (zero hits, three walks) due to a slight drop in velocity but no apparent injury.

Boyle had worked between four to six innings in each of his first nine starts, including one on April 13 for the Rays, when he was summoned for a spot start. Overall, he has a 3-4, 1.88 record with 47 strikeouts in 43 innings.

Also:

• Durham Reliever Jacob Waguespack, who had a dazzling 0.46 ERA (one earned run over 19 2/3 innings) in 15 games, was placed on the seven-day injured list due to back spasms.
• Top catching prospect Dominic Keegan made his debut for Durham on Monday, having been sidelined since spring training with a right elbow injury.
• Top 2024 draft pick Theo Gillen earned Class-A Carolina League Player of the Week honors, hitting .421 (8-for-19) with two homers (one inside-the-park) and four RBIs.

Time for rest

Two of the Rays’ top hitters, DH Yandy Diaz and outfielder Josh Lowe, were out of the lineup Monday for rest purposes.

Diaz has played every game but the three he missed at Toronto on May 13-15 due to passport renewal issues.

Josh Lowe started nine and played in all 10 games since returning from the injured list May 15.

“Josh has played a lot and don’t know exactly that time to give him a day off, felt like this made the most sense,” Cash said, noting the next two Twins starters are tough on right-handed hitters so they’d want Lowe in the lineup.

Miscellany

The announced attendance of 8,759 marked the third time in 35 home games the Rays have not sold out Steinbrenner Field (capacity of 10,046). … The Rays have outscored opponents 37-10 during their six-game winning streak and have not trailed in their last 44 innings. They also have gone a season-high seven straight games without an error. … Rookie Chandler Simpson extended his career-best hitting streak to 11 games, with a .372 average (16-for-43) during the run. Brandon Lowe extended his streak to nine games (his longest since 2020) and Curtis Mead to eight games. … The Rays have scored first in four straight and six of their last nine games, and are 16-6 when doing so. … The Rays are 9-14 on Memorial Day.

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