Rays manager Kevin Cash said Friday that Mead has made the Opening Day roster, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
Mead has been one of the best performers during Grapefruit League play, going an absurd 19-for-35 with one home run in 13 contests. Once the regular season begins, much of Mead's playing time likely will come versus left-handed pitching, although he could play his way into at-bats against righties, too, if he's able to carry over his performance from this spring. The 24-year-old has just a 78 wRC+ across 224 big-league plate appearances.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Continues hot start to spring
Rotowire
Mead went 4-for-4 with one walk and one run scored in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
Mead is swinging a red-hot bat this spring. He's 14-for-18 at the plate, slashing .778/.810/1.000, with one home run, two RBI and four runs scored through seven Grapefruit League contests. Mead's blistering start to the spring could pave the way for him to make the Opening Day roster as a reserve infielder for Tampa Bay. Mead appeared in 38 regular-season games for the Rays last season and posted one home run, seven RBI, 10 runs scored and two stolen bases across 132 plate appearances.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Battling for bench spot
Rotowire
Mead will enter spring training battling with Eloy Jimenez for one of Tampa Bay's final bench spots, Marc Topkin of the Tamp Bay Times reports.
Mead was once a highly regarded prospect in the Rays' system, but he has managed just a 78 wRC+ across 224 big-league plate appearances. Though he's capable of playing both second and third base, the team boasts considerable depth at each position and could instead opt to keep the potential power bat of Jimenez on the roster.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Sent down to minors
Rotowire
The Rays optioned Mead to Triple-A Durham on Tuesday.
Mead had been receiving the bulk of the starts at third base following the trade of Isaac Paredes, but he went 3-for-21 at the plate in August while showing shaky defense at the hot corner. Junior Caminero is taking Mead's spot on the roster and will be the team's new everyday third baseman.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Playing time trending upward
Rotowire
Mead will start at designated hitter and bat seventh in Monday's game against the Astros, Steve Carney of StPeteNine.com reports.
After picking up starts in four of the Rays' last five matchups with right-handed pitching, the righty-hitting Mead will stick in the lineup Monday while the Astros send southpaw Framber Valdez to the hill. Though he appears to be challenging Taylor Walls for a regular spot in the Tampa Bay infield, Mead will likely need to show better production at the plate before he fully displaces Walls. Through his first six games in August, Mead has gone just 2-for-18 with no extra-base hits and one walk.
Mead went 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored Saturday against the Yankees.
Mead was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Saturday to replace Yandy Diaz (personal) on the roster and immediately was in the lineup as the designated against lefty Nestor Cortes. It's unclear how long Diaz will be away from the team, but it's possible that Mead will continue to serve in a short-side platoon role at a combination of second and third base as well as designated hitter.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Rays recalled Mead from Triple-A Durham on Saturday, Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun reports.
Mead will rejoin the Rays as infield depth to replace Yandy Diaz (personal), who landed on the restricted list Saturday. Mead was optioned to Triple-A in early May after slashing .218/.269/.276 through 93 plate appearances, and he's since posted an .847 OPS in the minor leagues. He's unlikely to see regular playing time while with the Rays and will likely return to Durham once Diaz rejoins the team.
The Rays optioned Mead to Triple-A Durham on Monday, Ryan Bass of Bally Sports Sun reports.
Mead has been given plenty of chances by the Rays this season, but his bat never got going, as he slashed just .218/.269/.276 with one home run and a 23:4 K:BB over 94 plate appearances. The 23-year-old will look to get on track at Durham with the hopes of earning another opportunity later this season.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Sitting in second straight game
Rotowire
Mead is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.
Mead will sit against a right-handed starting pitcher for the second time in as many days and seems to have lost hold of a regular role at second base after slashing just .218/.269/.276 through 93 plate appearances on the season. The Rays' infield picture will become more crowded if Jonathan Aranda (finger) is activated from the 10-day injured list during the upcoming week, so Mead could be sent back to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move so he can get regular playing time.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Hits bench Monday
Rotowire
Mead is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Brewers.
Mead had started at second or third base in each of the past 11 games, producing only two extra-base hits while getting on base at a .238 clip over that stretch. Though the 23-year-old remains one of the Rays' top prospects, he could be at risk of losing out on an everyday role once either Jonathan Aranda (finger) or Brandon Lowe (oblique) return from the 10-day injured list. In addition to Aranda and Lowe, Junior Caminero is back to full health at Triple-A Durham and has been sizzling at the plate of late, potentially making him a candidate to join the big club if the Rays want to swap out one infield prospect for another.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Swats timely first homer
Rotowire
Mead went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 7-5 win over the Tigers.
The 23-year-old took Will Vest deep in the sixth inning to break open a 5-5 tie. It was Mead's first homer, and first extra-base hit, of the season, but he could be running out of time to solidify his spot in the lineup with Brandon Lowe (oblique) and Jonathan Aranda (finger) on track to return in early May. Over the last 12 games, Mead is batting just .216 (8-for-37) with a 1:10 BB:K.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Swipes pair of bags
Rotowire
Mead went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two stolen bases Sunday against the Yankees.
Mead has been quiet since taking over the primary second base job with Brandon Lowe (oblique) sidelined, as he's gone just 8-for-40 with no extra-base hits. However, he enjoyed a productive Sunday, tallying an RBI single in the eighth inning while also recording the first stolen bases of his big-league career. Despite his struggles, Mead's playing time appears relatively safe, as he's started 11 of the last 13 games for the Rays.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Not in Tuesday's lineup
Rotowire
Mead is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Angels.
Mead had started six of the last seven games, including three straight, at second base since Brandon Lowe (oblique) went down, but he will yield to Amed Rosario in this one. The 23-year-old Mead has managed just a .577 OPS this season and is still looking for his first RBI.
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