Jonny DeLuca DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Tampa Bay Rays placed outfielder Jonny DeLuca (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a right-shoulder strain and recalled infielder Coco Montes in a corresponding move, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. It's bad timing, as DeLuca had started off his second season with the Rays strong, going 10-for-23 with a triple, RBI, four stolen bases and four runs scored in his first nine games. It seems unlikely that the 26-year-old outfielder will be ready to return from the IL when he's eligible to be activated on April 17, but hopefully he'll be able to rejoin the major-league roster before the end of April. DeLuca joins Josh Lowe (oblique) and Richie Palacios (finger) on the IL, giving both young outfielders Kameron Misner and Jake Mangum a clear path to regular playing time in the season's first month in Tampa.

According to Adam Berry of MLB.com, Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jonny DeLuca is expected to begin the season as the team's starting center fielder. Last summer, Jose Siri was the everyday center fielder in Tampa Bay, but he was traded to the New York Mets during the offseason. As a result, DeLuca stands at the top of the depth chart and is expected to open the season as the top option. Across 107 games in Tampa Bay last summer, the Oregon product held a .217/.278/.331 line with 12 doubles, six home runs, and 16 stolen bases. While he did not generate elite hitting metrics, he was a top defender with speed. He placed in the 93rd percentile in outs above average and the 98th percentile in sprint speed. Richie Palacios will likely open the season as the No. 2 option behind DeLuca. If DeLuca has a successful spring training, he could be worth a look in deeper category formats as he has flashed elite speed.

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jonny DeLuca is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday in the contest versus the visiting Boston Red Sox. It's the second straight game that DeLuca has been on the after a stretch where it looked like he was taking over regular center field duties from Jose Siri. Josh Lowe is in center field on Wednesday and is batting second, while Richie Palacios is in right field and is hitting eighth against Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello. DeLuca will continue to see chances in Tampa's outfield, but it looks like it will continue to be sporadic playing time and could mostly only come against left-handed starters. The 25-year-old former 25th-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019 out of Oregon has hit better than Siri this year, going 12-for-46 (.261) with two homers, 12 RBI and four stolen bases.