Manager’s confidence makes Taj Bradley’s demotion easier to handle

The Rays' Ha-Seong Kim (7) steals second base ahead of the tag of White Sox second baseman Lenyn Sosa Monday in Tampa. Kim later left the game with a stiff back.

TAMPA — As disappointed as Taj Bradley may have been after being unexpectedly sent down to Triple-A Durham immediately following his rough outing Wednesday, he found some solace in manager Kevin Cash’s expectation of quick improvement and return.

“I mean, that means everything,” Bradley said. “Going down there with the confidence of the team, knowing that you’re going down there to figure some stuff out and they have every piece of faith in you that you’re going to go down there and get it done.

Though his salary and impending free agency make him one of the more likely candidates to be traded, Zack Littell said he won’t take the mound Friday against the Reds worrying that it could be his last start as a Ray.

“I have it in myself. But just them having my back and knowing that we’ll keep in touch and working on the change-up and have stuff still come from (the big-league staff).”

The Rays made the decision based on both the bigger-picture view of Bradley’s overall inconsistency in compiling a 6-6 record and 4.61 ERA over 21 starts, and the more specific issue of needing to make better use of the change-up to provide an effective third pitch to complement his fastball and cutter.

Rays pitcher Taj Bradley roams around the dugout before Monday's game against the White Sox in Tampa. Manager Kevin Cash said Bradley was "very accountable" in taking the news of his demotion to Triple-A Durham Wednesday night.

That work will be a team effort, including data from the Rays pitching development team, and input and instruction from both big-league pitching coach Kyle Snyder and Durham coach Brian Reith.

“It’s kind of like the trifecta — me, Brian and Snydes are going to get together and just figure some stuff out,” Bradley said. “I’m not going to go down with any gloomy thoughts or anything like that. Just stay positive.”

Plus, Bradley said, getting to work on improvement away from the pressure of the battle for a postseason berth was “just like a breath of fresh air.”

Cash said Bradley, 24, was “very accountable” in taking the news of his demotion.

“Trust that he will get down there and do what’s needed between him, Kyle, Brian Reith,” Cash said. “We’ll get him right.”

A start, or the end?

Objectively, Zack Littell would seem one of the Rays most likely to be traded. He is headed to free agency after the season, he is the highest-paid pitcher on the team with a $5.72 million salary and the Rays have starter depth, though not quite as much with Shane McClanahan’s return set back again and Bradley’s demotion.

But Littell said he won’t take the mound Friday night in Cincinnati thinking it could be his last start as a Ray.

“I really don’t, honestly,” he said. “I think a little bit of it is having done this before, having kind of done it all — (designated for assignment), traded, been a free agent.

“It’s just, if it happens, it happens. But other than that, we’re just going to keep going and prep like we have 12 more (starts) here.”

Road warriors

Thursday’s late-afternoon flight to Cincinnati started the Rays’ three-week journey of playing 19 of their next 22 games on the road.

After playing three at the Reds and four at the Yankees, they make a brief stop in Tampa for a three-game series with the Dodgers, then head west for a 12-game, 14-day trip to face the Angels (Anaheim), Mariners (Seattle), A’s (Sacramento) and Giants (San Francisco).

Having a solid 22-22 record away from home so far helps.

“We’ve got a lot of road games coming up, and we do play well on the road,” outfielder Josh Lowe said. “So it’s a good thing for us go out there and put our best foot forward on the road.”

Number of the day

401

Career RBIs for Yandy Diaz, including 373 as a Ray, eighth most in franchise history.

Miscellany

The Rays should have updates Friday on the status of infielder Ha-Seong Kim, who left Monday’s game with a stiff back, and McClanahan, who is slated to resume throwing soon after dealing with biceps tendinitis. ... The series in Cincinnati will showcase three of the majors’ top base-stealers. Tampa Bay’s Jose Caballero was tied for the lead with Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz at 33 through Wednesday, Rays rookie Chandler Simpson (in just 59 games) was tied for third with Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez at 31 and the Reds’ Elly De La Cruz was tied for sixth with 27. ... This weekend will provide the latest reunion for Cash and friend/mentor Terry Francona, who came out of retirement to take over the Reds this season. ... Wednesday was the Rays’ fifth loss this season when leading by four or more runs and their first when getting 15 or more hits since May 11, 2018 at Baltimore.

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