Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe’s impressive rookie season apparently is over.
Manager Kevin Cash stopped just short of labeling Lowe out for the remainder of the year after the latter sustained another injury during his attempted comeback from a bruised right shin.
“He’s most likely done for the year,” Cash said Thursday. “I think that’s the best way to say it. If he comes back early, great.”
Lowe strained his left quadriceps while trying to reach for a single during a rehab appearance with Triple-A Durham on Wednesday night.
Lowe, who was named as an All-Star replacement last month, is batting .276 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs in 76 games for Tampa Bay this season. The 25-year-old had been sidelined since July 3.
He has appeared in a total of six rehab games for three Rays farm teams this month, going 2-for-17 (.118) with no homers and two RBIs.