Jake Fraley was absent from the lineup Friday when the Rays met the Yankees, opening the game on the bench for a matchup that came against right-hander Luis Gil.
The move left the left-handed hitter out of the starting nine for one game, with Jonny DeLuca set to patrol right field and bat sixth for the Rays. The source frames Fraley's absence as a lineup decision specific to Friday, rather than anything more lasting.
That matters because the Yankees were lined up to use Gil, a right-hander, and Fraley's bat was not part of the Rays' starting plan in that spot. DeLuca's role gave Tampa Bay a different look on the right side of the field and in the middle of the order.
The question after Friday was not whether Fraley was available, but how long the Rays would keep him out of the starting mix after choosing a bench role for this contest. For one night, the answer was simple: he was not in the lineup.
