The Tampa Bay Rays on Friday placed outfielder Randy Arozarena on the COVID-19 list and recalled outfielder Jordan Luplow.
The timing is particularly poor after Arozarena emerged from a four-game, 0-for-11 slide in mid-July to bat .404 with six home runs and 11 RBIs in 14 games through Wednesday. Arozarena had a 1.285 OPS in that stretch.
The 26-year-old burst on the scene last year when he batted .377 with 10 home runs and 14 RBIs over 20 playoff games, helping the Rays to the World Series. He is batting .268 this season with an .802 OPS and has 16 home runs and 52 RBIs in 99 games.
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Luplow, 27, played in just three games at Triple-A Durham after he was acquired in a trade from the Indians on July 30. The former third-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014 is a career .222 hitter with 30 home runs and 84 RBIs in 214 major league games with the Pirates and Indians.
–Field Level Media