ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays‘ injured list increased to a major league-high 16 when left-hander Josh Fleming was placed on the IL with right oblique tightness on Tuesday.
Fleming was hurt in Monday night’s game against the Boston Red Sox and became Tampa Bay’s 11th player on the IL, most in the AL.
Shortstop Wander Franco had surgery Tuesday for a fractured right hamate bone ad is expected to be sidelined five for to eight weeks. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said the team received a report the procedure was “pretty clean.”
Injured players also include center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who is to see a specialist about his ailing left hip after the All-Star break. Catcher Mike Zunino is out indefinitely with a left shoulder injury.
Second baseman Brandon Lowe, sidelined since May 16 with a lower-back injury, was in the lineup for the first of three scheduled games with Triple-A Durham on Tuesday. He will be reevaluated.
For the road team Tuesday, All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers returned to the lineup after missing three games with a sore back.
Tampa Bay entered Tuesday holding the second AL wild-card spot.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.