Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi will be sidelined for three to five weeks after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, manager Kevin Cash announced this morning (Twitter link via Rays broadcaster Neil Solondz). Because the surgery has yet to be performed, a concrete timeline is not yet known, but he’ll likely be out into May. Choi’s surgery is set for tomorrow morning.
Choi has been hobbled by discomfort in his knee this spring and hasn’t suited up for a game since mid-March. He appeared in just five official Grapefruit League games before being shut down, and it now looks as though his absence will ultimately span a couple of months in total. Yoshi Tsutsugo has been logging some time at first base and could see extra at-bats in Choi’s absence, and the Rays also have Yandy Diaz and Mike Brosseau as options there. Second baseman Brandon Lowe played a handful of games at first base in 2019 as well.
The 29-year-old Choi has spent the past two and a half seasons with the Rays, turning in a strong .257/.359/.461 batting line with 30 homers, 45 doubles and three triples through 821 trips to the plate. Based on the strength of that showing, he and the Rays agreed to a one-year, $2.45MM contract over the winter during his first trip through the arbitration process.
Send them Jake Bauers back!
Bauers horrible.
I really thought that dude would be a player. Oops. Still kinda young, maybe there is time?
plenty of time, starting 1B for Cleveland this year, hopefully he finally gets his chance.
Maybe the Cards can trade them Nogowski for Arozorena.
+1 haha
Hurry back! Best wishes from a fat guy that roots for fat guy athletes.
He’s gone, who’s going to be our Cole destroyer now?
….Knee-man Choi!
Choi is an underrated player. I’m always amazed at how low his batting average is and how pedestrian his power numbers are with all the clutch hits and home runs I’ve seen the guy make.
I hope he recovers quickly and gets back to it and has the breakout season I know he’s poised for.
Choi is one of the most loveable players. Hope he comes back soon.
Wish we had Nate Lowe to sub for him…Tsutsugo needs to be ready to go this year.
Another option? It would not be ideal, but shift B. Lowe to first (though I love his glove at 2nd), bring up Wander to play the keystone.
I’ll make sure Kevin Cash knows my ideas lol
Maybe bring up Brujan or Edwards since they play 2B and then move Lowe to 1B
They need to trade for Pablo Sandoval now, since Panda is more athletic.
Only kidding. Choi’s fun to watch. Hoping he recovers quickly.
I’d bet Vogelbach from the Crew could be an interesting trade option soon. They got together to trade Choi in the first place, but it seems the Rays have some internal options at this time.
TB likes trading with Texas. Call up Chris Young and see what you need to get Guzman who has had a good Spring and will cost less than 2 mil.
Chris young would gladly dump Rougned on the Rays but he’d have to pay them to take him off the Rangers hands. Then Lowe moves to first.