Outfielder Chandler Simpson is experiencing left hamstring tightness in early camp, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays will keep him out of the first few exhibition games to allow him time to rest. “Right now, we’re going to slow play him, just get his legs underneath him,” said manager Kevin Cash on Friday. Cash went on to emphasize the value of Simpson’s speed and the importance of getting him back to 100% rather than risk further injury.
Indeed, Simpson is one of the fastest players in the game. His 29.6 MPH sprint speed ranked in the 97th percentile according to Statcast. Meanwhile, his 44 stolen bases in 2025 tied with the Guardians’ Jose Ramirez for second in the majors, with Simpson achieving that in 49 fewer games. That said, while he has value as a speed and contact guy, he’s also limited by on-base and defensive issues. His outfield glovework was viewed negatively by Defensive Runs Saved (-9) and Outs Above Average (-5) in 2025. Continued hamstring issues might hamper his defense even more, so it makes sense for the Rays to ease him into game action.
A few other injury updates around the game:
- Rangers infielder Cody Freeman will be out for 4-6 weeks with a lower back fracture, according to manager Skip Schumaker (link via Shawn McFarland of Dallas Morning News). Freeman felt some discomfort a few days ago that lingered into yesterday, at which point scans revealed the fracture. The 25-year-old made his big-league debut last year, though his line of .228/.258/.342 in 121 plate appearances was underwhelming. He did much better at Triple-A, grading out 31% better than average by wRC+. Freeman was set to compete for an Opening Day roster spot but will now be out until late March at best. He’ll be re-evaluated at that point and will obviously need time to ramp up, so he won’t be ready for Opening Day.
- Marlins right-hander Janson Junk rolled his ankle in team workouts earlier this week. He was diagnosed with a Grade 1 sprain after undergoing testing, though he is now out of his walking boot and playing catch (video from Christina De Nicola of MLB.com). For his part, Junk said on Thursday that he doesn’t expect to miss multiple weeks. The 30-year-old impressed in a swingman role last year, accruing 2.5 fWAR in 110 innings thanks to his sweeper (+8 run value according to Statcast) and a microscopic 2.9% walk rate. He had been building up as a starter thus far. Manager Clayton McCullough confirmed that is still the case and that the team will “just see how this setback… affects what he can end up getting to by the end of camp” (link via De Nicola).
- White Sox outfielder Everson Pereira is currently day-to-day with right side tightness, per James Fegan of Sox Machine. The 24-year-old was acquired in a four-player trade with the Rays in November which saw the team part with a solid reliever in Steven Wilson. On that basis, the team was expected to carry the out-of-options Pereira on the roster as a backup outfielder. That may still be the case since Pereira is merely day-to-day and hasn’t been placed on the injured list. Luisangel Acuña is also on hand, though he will split time between the infield and outfield and shouldn’t affect Pereira’s roster spot if the latter is healthy by the end of camp.
Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
The hyper link sends to a bit different a Jose Ramirez
Gotta be 29.6 ft/s right? I think MPH would easily net you into the 100th percentile
At minimum in Olympics
Oh ye of little faith…
I like Pereira, he had a runway to big league ABs this season in Chicago, it could have been a big year for him. A nagging oblique can be difficult to play through.
ABS: Pereira is worth a gamble for a go nowhere team but… He has real contact issues and the Yankees who knew him best didn’t let him log 1 inning in CF for them. Basically he’s a tooled up corner outfielder who can’t make contact. Estavan Florial is the best comp.
@JerseyJohn – Yanks had a jam up at the end of ’22 season, with Bader, Benintendi, Cabrera, Marwin Gonzalez, Florial and Pereira all gunning for Hicks’ job.
Bader won the CF job in ’23, I listened to a lot of Yankees games that season on the radio, John Sterling and Susan with the color commentary. She loved Bader.
They let Benintendi walk and Cabrera got more run than Pereira and Peraza, they were the Yanks three best prospects that year.
I dont ever remember them talking much about Florial, they liked Peraza, Pereira and Cabrera, all three hit like Joey Gallo. None of them could hit, it was a long year in ’23.
Pereira only 24, has some good power, I was hoping he’d get some run and replace Benintendi.
ABS: Pretty good for not being a Yankee fan! Florial was hyped a bit before Periera. He was supposed to be the next big thing for the Yankees, but he couldn’t hit. Same great tools profile missing the same ingredient: putting the bat on the ball.
Peraza impressed when given run at the end of 22 and even started a playoff game. He was the next SS and Volpe was going to get all of 23 in the minors. Problem was he read his own press clippings and came into camp fat. Volpe played well and the Yankees basically threw Peraza off the island. He ripped it up in AAA for a bit but it was too late.
I wish Pereira all the luck in the world as the difference between a few years in MLB and a few cups of coffee can be life-changing. If he puts the bat on the ball everything else is there but if he continues to struggle with that he’s basically a 5th/6th outfielder who can park a mistake, run a bit, and play the corners well and CF in a pinch.
Lower back FRACTURE? That doesn’t sound like something you come back from quickly, if at all. Yikes…poor guy.
Exactly what I was thinking. He broke his back. He’ll be back in 4 to 6 weeks though? OK.
Hopefully is not a trade for oft injured player for another
If Chandler Simpson was as good of a fielder as Billy Hamilton, he’d be like an annual 4+ WAR player. Even if he can improve and be an average defender, he’d still be extremely valuable.
__________ (fill in name) fell down and went boom. He’ll be out for two weeks and hopefully avoid surgery. He’ll be coated in bubble wrap during that time to prevent further owies.
If someone else said that you would jump all over them saying professional athletes get injured and you’re obviously not intelligent enough to comprehend what these guys go through every day.
I was being facetious. Not sarcastic. Baseball has not figured out how to keep players from being injured. That is serious and unfortunate.
Acuna can work on his switchhitting during this time at camp, one of the reason Getz traded for him.
He’s very versatile 😊