The speedster did his best to set the table from the leadoff spot in a tight pitchers' duel, but Simpson didn't get cashed in either time he got into scoring position. The 10 steals has him tied for third in the American League with Bobby Witt, behind Jose Caballero's 12 and Jose Ramirez's 11, and Simpson's added a .307/.344/.351 slash line with six RBI and 14 runs in 29 games.

Vernon, who's a non-roster invitee with Tampa Bay, hasn't pitching in spring training and is likely be sidelined for "some time," according to manager Kevin Cash. The 27-year-old right-hander was likely to open the new season in the minor leagues before getting injured, and he posted a 3.72 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 19.1 innings for Triple-A Durham a year ago.

It was Boyle's first game appearance in nearly a month, as he's working his way back from a right elbow strain. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times says Boyle's arm injury turned out to be more serious than the Rays initially thought, so the club will proceed slowly with his rehab. Boyle threw 31 pitches in Wednesday's outing and will continue to build up his stamina from there.

Wilson had expressed optimism that his absence would be brief, but his placement on the 60-day IL means the reliever's recovery has not come along as hoped. He's working his way back from lumbar disc inflammation.

Matz was placed on the IL earlier Tuesday with left elbow inflammation. He felt soreness in the elbow after his last outing, but an MRI came back negative and the belief is the injury was caught early. It's unclear when Matz might be ready to throw again, but he could be ready to rejoin the Rays' rotation later this month if all goes well.

Driscoll appeared in 15 games for the Rays last season and slashed an unforgettable .171/.189/.257 with one home run, five RBI, two runs scored and a 1:6 BB:K across 37 plate appearances. Driscoll rolled his ankle during spring training and hasn't played in 2025.

The right-hander landed on the injured list with hip inflammation late in spring training and was transferred to the 60-day injured list in mid-April after suffering a setback. Pepiot received an injection after the setback, but his hip felt "unstable" when playing catch a few days later, and he'll now end up missing the entirety of the 2026 campaign.

Morgan didn't necessarily master Double-A as a hitter (102 wRC+) in 21 games last year, but with fellow Rays first base prospects Xavier Isaac (elbow) and Will Simpson being Double-A ready, Morgan was pushed to Triple-A. He is one of the best defensive first basemen in the world, and an excellent contact hitter, but Morgan's power is fringe-average at best, so he has very clear strengths and weaknesses.

Rooney elected free agency earlier this month after being removed from the Astros' 40-man roster, and he's quickly landed in a new organization. The lefty reliever had elbow surgery in September, though the specific nature of the procedure and a recovery timeline aren't clear. Rooney made one appearance for Houston but spent most of 2025 at the Triple-A level, holding a 2.56 ERA and 55:24 K:BB over 38.2 frames.

It's set to be Grove's first session since opening the season on the injured list amid his recovery from last year's right shoulder surgery. The right-hander is then slated to go on a minor-league rehab assignment sometime thereafter. Barring any setbacks, Grove should be an option for the Rays at some point in June.

Rodriguez underwent surgery in July to repair the flexor tendon in his right elbow, and he will now return to the IL to begin 2026 while he finishes up his rehab. His place on the 40-man roster will be filled by Nick Martinez, who signed a one-year deal with the Rays on Monday.

Uceta has been on the injured list all season due to a right shoulder impingement, and he was recently shut down for another 2-to-3 weeks due to strain of the same shoulder. The move to the 60-day IL is hardly a surprise given that development, and Uceta now won't be eligible to be reinstated until late May at the earliest.

Nichols struck out five over five innings of one-run ball in his 2026 debut April 3 but was shut down shortly thereafter and remains without a clear timeline to return to the mound. The 23-year-old righty split time between Montgomery and High-A Bowling Green in 2025, logging a 2.90 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 156:30 K:BB in 133.2 innings.

Lux initially went on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement and was later delayed by a left ankle sprain. He's fully recovered now but has not done much on his rehab assignment, slashing .169/.329/.288 with one home run and a 14:20 BB:K over 17 contests. Lux is poised to be the Rays' primary second baseman against righties and will be making his team debut when he gets into a game.