Rays manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday that DeLuca (shoulder) is likely to miss 2-to-4 weeks, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
DeLuca landed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a right shoulder strain, an injury he believes he suffered on a diving catch Friday. He is able to swing a bat and run without issue, but throwing is a problem, so they'll give the injury at least a couple weeks to calm down. Kameron Misner is starting in center field for the Rays on Tuesday and should handle the position regularly while DeLuca is out.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Goes on IL with shoulder strain
Rotowire
The Rays placed DeLuca on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a right shoulder strain, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
It's not clear when or how DeLuca was injured, but he didn't start the Rays' most recent game Sunday in Texas, appearing as a pinch runner. He will be eligible to return April 17, but given the nature of the injury, there's a good chance he'll require more downtime than that timeframe.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Out of Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
DeLuca is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
DeLuca is operating as Tampa Bay's primary center fielder but will receive Sunday off after going 10-for-23 with a triple, four steals and three runs through eight games. Kameron Misner will shift to center field while Jake Mangum receives a start in right.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Racking up steals
Rotowire
DeLuca went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base Saturday against the Rangers.
DeLuca has started seven of eight games in center field to begin the season, with Saturday marking his third multi-hit performance. He has yet to barrel a ball, but he's still found a way to remain fantasy relevant thanks to his aggressiveness on the basepaths. Saturday's swiped bag gives him a total of four on the season, and he has yet to be caught.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Day off Monday
Rotowire
DeLuca is absent from the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.
DeLuca started all three games in the opening series versus the Rockies, but he'll get a breather Monday. Kameron Misner is handling center field and batting sixth.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Remains projected center fielder
Rotowire
DeLuca is expected to be the Rays' primary center fielder to begin the regular season, John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
DeLuca produced only a .609 OPS across 362 plate appearances with the Rays in 2024, but he seemingly inherited the center field role after Jose Siri was dealt in the offseason. He hasn't fared any better across 29 plate appearances in Grapefruit League games, as he has yet to tally an extra-base hit while collecting only five hits across 26 at-bats. DeLuca's defensive ability will still be enough for him to begin the season as a regular, though he'll presumably need to be more productive at the plate to maintain that status.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Not starting Saturday
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DeLuca isn't in Tampa Bay's lineup Saturday versus Boston, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
After going 1-for-4 during a win in Friday's series opener, DeLuca will take a seat Saturday while Christopher Morel, Jose Siri and Josh Lowe start across the outfield.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Taking seat Thursday
Rotowire
DeLuca is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Tigers.
He'll give way to Jose Siri in center field for the series finale. DeLuca had started in each of the Rays' last three games while going 3-for-9 with a walk.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Absent from starting nine
Rotowire
DeLuca is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays.
DeLuca's playing time continues to trend downward, as the outfielder hits the bench for the fourth time in eight games. Once again, Jose Siri will man center field Saturday. In September, DeLuca is 16-for-54 (.296) with two homers and three stolen bases.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Slugs decisive homer
Rotowire
DeLuca went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 2-0 win over Baltimore.
DeLuca launched his sixth home run of the season off Corbin Burnes in the sixth inning, the only runs scored in the 2-0 victory. The 26-year-old DeLuca has now started nine of the past 10 games for Tampa Bay, batting .361 with four extra-base hits, three stolen bases and eight runs scored in 38 plate appearances. On the year, the speedy outfielder owns a disappointing .623 OPS with 27 runs scored, 30 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 93 games.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Not in Sunday's lineup
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DeLuca is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
DeLuca has an .819 OPS over his past 10 games but will sit Sunday after starting the first two games of the series versus San Diego. Jose Siri will start in center field and bat ninth.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Homers in loss
Rotowire
DeLuca went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's loss to the Dodgers.
DeLuca was the lone bright spot in a disappointing offensive day for the Rays and provided their only run on a solo blast in the seventh. It's been a rough month overall for DeLuca, but he's now hit safely in four straight games and has reached a total of six times over the last two games while driving in three. For the year, he's slashing .190/.262/.304 with four homers, 26 RBI, 18 runs, 13 steals and a 21:63 BB:K in 273 plate appearances.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Hitting bench Thursday
Rotowire
DeLuca is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.
Though he had started in four of the Rays' last five matchups with right-handed pitchers, DeLuca will bow out of the lineup Thursday afternoon while righty Osvaldo Bido takes the hill for Oakland. Dylan Carlson will take DeLuca's spot in the Tampa Bay outfield, manning left while batting third.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Heading to bench Wednesday
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DeLuca is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
DeLuca had started in three of the Rays' last four matchups with right-handers but will head to the bench Wednesday while the Cardinals send righty Erick Fedde to the hill. Dylan Carlson will pick up a start in left field in DeLuca's stead.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Heading to bench Sunday
Rotowire
DeLuca is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros.
The right-handed-hitter DeLuca had started in each of the Rays' last three games -- including two matchups with right-handers -- but he'll take a seat Sunday as the Astros send righty Spencer Arrighetti to the hill. While his path to seeing regular playing time in the outfield is clearer now in the aftermath of the trade deadline, DeLuca hasn't yet locked down a full-time role. He has helped his case, however, by going 7-for-27 (.259 average) with three extra-base hits and a steal over his last seven starts.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Chance to seize starting role
Rotowire
DeLuca is starting in left field and batting fifth Friday against the Reds, Ryan Bass of Bally Sports Sun reports.
The 26-year-old also manned left field Thursday, and while he hasn't been a consistent lineup presence in recent weeks he should see more opportunities after Randy Arozarena was traded to the Mariners. DeLuca has struggled in 57 big-league games this season with a .169/.242/.271 slash line, and he may need to be more productive in order to claim a regular role.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Seeing more playing time
Rotowire
DeLuca went 0-for-4 with a strikeout Saturday against the Guardians.
DeLuca was in the lineup for the sixth time in the Rays' last nine games. He's earned that playing time primarily by subbing in for Josh Lowe against lefties, though he's also drawn three starts in center field in that span. DeLuca hasn't delivered much with the increased playing time, tallying one home run and three RBI with two runs scored while striking out at a 36 percent clip, though he does have six hits in 24 at-bats.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Homer, three hits in win
Rotowire
DeLuca went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in Thursday's win over Kansas City.
DeLuca jumped on a hanging sinker from Alec Marsh in the second inning and sent it over the wall in left field for his third home run of the season, extending the Rays' lead to three runs. The outfielder then added an RBI single in the following frame and went on to reach three times in the contest. The long ball was DeLuca's first since May 18 against Toronto, and he's now tallied multiple hits in two of his last three starts. However, his average still sits at .180 on the campaign following Thursday's three-hit performance.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Sporadic playing time
Rotowire
DeLuca went 2-for-4 with a stolen base Friday against the Nationals.
DeLuca has been serving as the Rays' fourth outfielder, primarily getting playing time when a lefty is on the mound or when the team shifts Josh Lowe to designated hitter. DeLuca hasn't made a strong case for more playing time, batting just .163 across 138 plate appearances, though he managed his sixth stolen base of the year Friday.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Getting third straight start
Rotowire
DeLuca will start in left field and bat sixth in Thursday's game against the Twins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The 25-year-old will draw his third consecutive start against a right-handed pitcher (Simeon Woods Richardson), but after going 1-for-8 with a walk in the previous two contests, he'll probably need to pick up the pace at the plate to ensure he continues seeing regular playing time. DeLuca made some waves by producing three two-hit games in his first five starts when he returned from the injured list May 3, but he's slashing just .102/.202/.170 from May 8 onward.
