The Rays will be without Yandy Diaz, one of their top hitters, for the three-game series in Toronto that started Tuesday night.
The veteran DH was unable to accompany the team to Canada because he did not have a valid passport. The team said there was a delay in the renewal process of his passport that was not able to be expedited.
Diaz is expected to rejoin the team Friday in Miami for a weekend series against the Marlins.
Rays manager Kevin Cash wasn’t able to provide any details, telling reporters in Toronto: “Certainly disappointed that he’s not here, because he’s such a big part of our team and offense, but look forward to getting him back in Miami.”
Diaz, 33, is a native of Cuba who escaped in 2013 and established residency in Haiti before signing with Cleveland later that year and coming to the United States. The Rays acquired him in a December 2018 trade.
He was placed on the restricted list on Tuesday, which allowed the Rays to replace him on the active roster.
Infielder Coco Montes, the only healthy position player on the 40-man roster who wasn’t in the majors, was called up from Triple-A Durham, where in 22 games he hit .279 with one homer, five RBIs and a .724 OPS.
Diaz, shifted from first base to primarily a DH role this season, has had an inconsistent performance thus far, hitting .236 with six homers, 20 RBIs and a .691 OPS while starting all of the first 40 games.
He started slow, posting a .143 average and .368 OPS in his first 10 games. He got on a pretty good run over his next 27 with a .299 average, all six of his homers and an .879 OPS, and was 0-for-11 in his last three games.
Diaz is among the highest-paid Rays, with a $10 million salary. During spring training, the Rays exercised his $12 million option for 2026 and added another for 2027. The new option vests for $13 million if Diaz this season makes 500 plate appearances (which he did each of the past four) becomes a team option for $10 million if he doesn’t.
Diaz missed seven games last July, in New York and Toronto, due to what the team said were “personal family reasons” and was placed on the restricted list at the time. When Diaz returned, he declined to say what the issue was.
Brandon Lowe got the DH duties on Tuesday, and Cash said he is likely to rotate the assignment to other players the next two games.
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