The Tampa Bay Rays placed starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs on the family medical emergency list and relievers Brooks Raley and Ryan Thompson on the restricted list prior to beginning their five-game series in Toronto against the Blue Jays.
For Raley and Thompson, their placement of the restricted list comes due to their unvaccinated status, which forbids them entry into Canada. According to the new collective bargaining agreement signed prior to the 2022 season, any unvaccinated player may be placed on the restricted list, which stops accrual of service time and is unpaid, if their team is scheduled to play in Toronto.
Relievers Javy Guerra and Phoenix Sanders were added to the active roster to take their spots.
Springs being placed on the family medical emergency list means there is a medical issue with one of his immediate family members (spouse, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent or sibling). He must remain on the list for at least three days, but for no more than seven days.
Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was recalled from Triple-A Durham to take Springs’ place on the active roster.
In addition, relievers Dusten Knight and David McKay were added to the team’s taxi squad, and will be in Toronto.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
