Rays Call Up Austin Slater To Provide Help for Key Area

The Tampa Bay Rays have called up outfielder Austin Slater ahead of their series against the Boston Red Sox.

May 10, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Mets outfielder Austin Slater against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have had a couple of tough weeks, and with some injuries on the team, they will be looking for some help. 

Despite the Rays still having the best record in the American League, they are only percentage points above the New York Yankees now. For the last two weeks, Tampa Bay has not played well, and there is starting to be some concern. 

This was a team that wasn’t expected to be nearly as good as they have been so far, and with a lack of expectations to start the year, coming back to earth is a fair thing to worry about. 

While they are still in a good position, this is a team that has a few needs and has lost three of their last four series over a two-week span. Injuries have started to pile up, especially in the outfield, and this isn’t a lineup that is overpowering to begin with. 

With a need for some help in the outfield, especially against left-handed pitchers, the Rays have called up veteran slugger Austin Slater to hopefully provide some help. 

Slater Gets the Call 

Hearing OF Austin Slater is headed to #Rays. RH hitter, who signed minor league deal 5/27 and hit .348 in 6 games with AAA @DurhamBulls, could help lineup that will face a string of LHPs this week. Has played parts of 10 seasons in majors.

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 8, 2026

With the 33-year-old doing well in Triple-A and Tampa Bay in need of a spark offensively, it is Slater who will be getting a chance. The veteran was on the New York Mets to begin the season prior to joining the Rays, and he will have an opportunity this week to impress. 

To start the week, the Rays will be facing two left-handed pitchers for the Boston Red Sox, and expect to see Slater in the starting lineup for both of those games. Over the course of his career against left-handed pitching, Slater has been a very productive hitter. He has slashed .263/.352/.420 for an OPS of .772. Those are some very strong numbers, and Tampa Bay will be hoping that they can continue. 

Since the injury to Jonny DeLuca, the offense and the team overall have struggled a bit. While it isn’t all because of DeLuca being out, his absence is certainly being felt. Now, the Rays will be relying on Slater to try to fill that role, and he will have a nice opportunity ahead of him this week. 

Overall, with injuries starting to seemingly catch up to Tampa Bay, the team will need to find a way to power through and snap what has not been a good stretch of baseball.