Chandler Simpson excited to rejoin Rays, show what he can do better

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chandler Simpson was thrilled to rejoin the Rays on Tuesday.

“Yeah, a lot of excitement,” the outfielder said. “I saw that the team was doing really well, so I knew that it was my job to come and contribute to all that winning.”

And they were happy to have him back, starting him in centerfield, where manager Kevin Cash said he will play “predominantly … for the foreseeable future.”

Simpson, considered by many the fastest player in the game, had a significant impact when first called up in mid-April. He energized the team, hitting .285, stealing 19 bases in 22 chances, and making highlight plays all over.

But with fellow rookie outfielder Jake Mangum coming off the injured list on May 30, Simpson was sent back to Triple A.

His assignment was twofold: to improve his play in the outfield, where he had already been moved from center to left; and to find ways to get on base more, with his .315 on-base percentage and strikeout/walk ratio of 14/6 noted.

Simpson, 24, said he got the message.

“Just continue to work on my defense, continue to get on base,” he said. “Just continue to hone in on my craft and work on my game. Continue to just hone in on little things, pay attention to details and continue to progress.”

Specifically, he said that included “to know situations of the game, in the outfield get behind the balls, make plays easier, (better) routes, jumps, everything like that. Continue to do a lot of early work and just make sure I’m paying attention to detail in those things as well.”

In 16 games for Durham in June, he hit .366 with a .416 on-base percentage as part of an .881 OPS. He stole 11 bases without being caught and struck out only eight times in 71 at-bats while drawing six walks.

Similarly, Simpson said the goal was to pay more attention to detail at the plate, too.

“Just making sure I was locked in on every pitch, every (at-bat) doing all that I could to get on base no matter if it was the first pitch or the seventh pitch of the AB,” he said. “… Just trying to get on base any way possible.”

Cash said got a good report from Durham manager Morgan Ensberg.

“Morgan said he’s been a man on a mission as far as what he’s doing in the box and what he’s doing defensively,” Cash said. “When you give a guy a message, it’s very easy (for him) to go down and be frustrated and take three, four, five days or even more and not be happy and not maybe putting forth your best effort.

“Chandler did not do that. He got there, started playing and went right to work. And everybody said that.”

To make room for Simpson’s return, the Rays on Monday sent down fellow rookie outfielder Kameron Misner.

StreakingRays outfielders Jake Mangum, left, and Jose Caballero celebrate after Tuesday’s win over the Royals in Kansas City. [ CHARLIE RIEDEL | AP ]Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

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The Rays went into play Tuesday with three players having active hitting streaks of 10 or more games for the first time in franchise history.

By night’s end, Yandy Díaz extended his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest active such run in the majors, and stretched his on-base streak to 18 games and his streak of multi-hit games to a career-high tying six games. Brandon Lowe didn’t play, so he still has his 11-game streak, but Mangum’s streak ended at 10. … Curtis Mead grounded into a double play in the first, ending his streak of reaching base in consecutive plate appearances at nine, one shy of the team record.

Miscellany

Infielder/outfielder Richie Palacios (right knee sprain) was pulled off his rehab assignment at Durham due to intermittent soreness. Cash said there was no reinjury, just “he’s not moving like he wants to move.” … Infielder Ha-Seong Kim (right shoulder surgery recovery) went 3-for-4 with two walks while playing shortstop in his 16th game. … The Rays won their 10th straight series-opening game. … In a news release sent ahead of Thursday’s verdict announcement in the Dominican Republic, the prosecutor’s office “expressed confidence that the Puerto Plata Collegiate Court will grant their request and issue a five-year prison sentence” against Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who is charged with child sexual abuse. … Outfielder/DH Eloy Jimenez was reinstated to active duty at Durham, having missed five weeks with right Achilles tendinitis.

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