Rays Place Veteran Infielder on IL With Right Hip Flexor Strain

The Tampa Bay Rays have injury to a key contributor that has to be overcome.

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Rays have been battling the injury bug all season, with several key contributors being sidelined throughout the campaign.

Most recently, a pair of pitchers, starter Shane McClanahan and reliever Garrett Cleavinger, went down with left forearm tightness. Now, they are being joined by another key player to the team’s success, shortstop Taylor Walls.

The veteran is heading to the injured list with a right hip flexor strain. On the 10-day IL, the move is being made retroactively to Sept. 6, which means he will be eligible to return to the roster next week if he is healthy enough to get back on the field.

Walls doesn’t make much of an impact with the bat, producing a .218/.304/.292 slash line in 410 plate appearances with an OPS+ of 69. He does offer some value with his speed, stealing 21 bases, which is one short of his career high that was set in 2023.

Rays place Taylor Walls on IL, bring up Nick Madrigal to replace him

Sep 5, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls (6) stands on the infield between innings of game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Along with his speed, Walls’s value is tied to his defense. He has a career-high 3.1 bWAR in 2026, thanks in large part to the contributions that he is making with his glove. A Gold Glove Award finalist in 2025, he should be in the running once again.

He has an MLB-high 21 Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average at Baseball-Reference, the third year in a row he has at least led the American League. Over at Fielding Bible, Walls has a +19 Defensive Runs Saved, which is tied for fourth in the MLB.

Shockingly, his Outs Above Average per Baseball Savant is underwhelming, with a -3 ranking him in the 16th percentile.

Taking Walls’s spot on the roster, the team made a decision that will surprise some people. It isn’t Carson Williams being promoted from Triple-A Durham. Instead, it is Nick Madrigal, who will be assigned No. 20 and added to the mix.

The Tampa Bay Rays have placed INF Taylor Walls (right hip flexor strain) on the 10-day IL (retro to 9/6) and selected INF Nick Madrigal from Triple-A Durham.

Madrigal will wear No. 20.

Additionally, INF Oliver Dunn has cleared outright waivers and accepted his assignment to…

— Rays Communications (@RaysPR) September 8, 2026

Madrigal played in 15 games with the Los Angeles Angels earlier this season and produced 0.6 bWAR. He produced a .273/.385/.295 slash line in 52 plate appearances and has been a solid defender throughout his career.

However, all of his Major League experience has come at second base and third base. That could mean Jorge Mateo shifting over into a regular role at shortstop with Madrigal stepping into the platoon with Richie Palacios at second base.

The No. 4 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox, he hasn’t lived up to expectations in his career, but the Rays are hoping he can help stabilize shortstop in Walls’s absence.