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Nick Ciuffo

Rays’ Nick Ciuffo Out 8-10 Weeks Following Thumb Surgery

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Rays catcher Nick Ciuffo underwent surgery on his ailing thumb today and is expected to be sidelined for the next eight to 10 weeks, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). The Rays will also prolong fellow catcher Michael Perez’s minor league rehab stint a bit, as he’s still feeling some of the effects of the oblique injury that landed him on the IL in the first place.

The pair of updates once again raises questions about the organization’s depth behind the plate. Mike Zunino just returned from the injured list and is handling the bulk of catching duties in a timeshare with Travis d’Arnaud, but options beyond that pair are thin. Perez will give them one alternative, but Ciuffo is now on the shelf alongside Anthony Bemboom, while trade acquisition Erik Kratz was designated for assignment last week.

Beyond the sheer scarcity of catching options, the Rays have received zero production from d’Arnaud since acquiring the longtime Mets backstop in a deal with the Dodgers (who’d picked him up after he was released by New York). In 75 plate appearances with Tampa Bay, d’Arnaud has hit only .149/.227/.179. Since d’Arnaud is out of minor league options, the Rays will have to either option Perez to Triple-A when his rehab assignment is complete or designate d’Arnaud for assignment as they did with Kratz. That, in turn, would only further thin out the catching mix.

Suffice it to say, the Rays seem quite likely to be on the lookout for some catching depth in the weeks to come — even if it’s just some additions at the minor league level. The Rays have 26-year-old Mac James in Triple-A Durham, but he’s not hitting well either, and options beyond him appear limited. One option for Tampa Bay would be to take a look at veteran catcher Chris Stewart, who recently opted out of a minor league contract with the Padres.

Rays Place Mike Zunino On IL, Select Anthony Bemboom

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The Rays announced that they’ve placed catcher Mike Zunino on the 10-day injured list due to a left quad strain and selected the contract of fellow backstop Anthony Bemboom. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first reported that the move was coming and suggests that Zunino will be out about three weeks (Twitter links). Tampa Bay also activated Austin Meadows from the IL, as expected.

Tampa Bay has now lost its top two catchers in the span of 48 hours. Michael Perez was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday morning due to oblique tightness and replaced on the active roster by Nick Ciuffo, who’ll now serve as the Rays’ primary catcher for the time being. Ciuffo, a 2013 first-round pick, has yet to establish himself as much of an offensive option in Triple-A, where he’s hit .236/.272/.347 in 316 career plate appearances. He does control the running game quite well — 42 percent caught-stealing rate in his minor league career — and graded out as an above-average pitch framer in 2018, per Baseball Prospectus.

Bemboom, 29, has only played in eight games this season himself thanks to injuries of his own. An eight-year minor league veteran, he’s in his first season with the Rays organization having previously spent six years in the Halos’ minor leagues ranks as well as the 2018 season in the Rockies’ system. Bemboom is a career .249/.344/.382 hitter in Triple-A and carries a 31 percent caught-stealing rate since being drafted in the 22nd round back in 2012. He posted above-average marks in pitch framing in each of the past two seasons, as well.

Certainly, it’s not an ideal pairing of catchers for a first-place club. As noted Wednesday at the time of the injury, though, there’s not much in the way of readily available veteran help. Perhaps they’ll explore the market for a short-term backup option, but it’s unlikely that the trade market at this stage of the season would yield anyone who can be reasonably expected to provide more offense than Ciuffo.

Rays To Promote Nick Ciuffo, Reinstate Mallex Smith

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3:09pm: Tampa Bay has placed catcher Adam Moore on the restricted list because of “improper documentation” with his passport, freeing up a 40-man spot, Topkin tweets. The Rays are in Canada through Wednesday for a series against the Blue Jays.

12:08pm: The Rays have promoted catcher Nick Ciuffo from Triple-A Durham and reinstated outfielder Mallex Smith from the 10-day disabled list, Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter links). The team will need to make a corresponding 40-man move to create room for Ciuffo.

A Ray since they used the 21st overall pick on him in 2013, Ciuffo currently ranks as their 25th-best prospect at MLB.com, which is especially complimentary of his defense. The 23-year-old’s so good behind the plate that he won’t need to hit much in order to become at least a major league backup, according to MLB.com. Ciuffo posted slightly below-average offensive numbers this year at Durham, where he hit .262/.301/.380 (90 wRC+) with five home runs in 236 plate appearances.

While Ciuffo looks promising on the field, he does come with some negative off-field history. Ciuffo has tested positive for a drug of abuse on two occasions, including last offseason. The latest occurrence led to a 50-game suspension which kept Ciuffo out of action for the first several weeks of the campaign. Now, Ciuffo may be in position to vie for a spot on next year’s Rays roster, given that their other options don’t inspire a ton of confidence.

Smith, barring a trade, has already clinched a prominent spot on the 2019 Rays. The 25-year-old had been dealing with a viral infection, one that required a short stay in a Tampa Bay hospital, but has otherwise enjoyed an excellent season. Smith has slashed .307/.377/.433 (126 wRC+) with 27 stolen bases and 3.1 fWAR over a career-high 426 PAs.

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