CINCINNATI — Short of reliable depth around the infield with Brandon Lowe and Ha-Seong Kim injured, the Rays turned to a familiar face Saturday in reacquiring Tristan Gray.

The 29-year-old spent six years in the Rays minor-league system before making his big-league debut in September 2023.

He then moved to the Marlins, A’s and Pirates organizations, and signed in January with the White Sox. He was hitting .270 with an .805 OPS for Triple-A Charlotte when the Rays made the deal, for cash, to bring him back.

To make room on the 26- and 40-man rosters, infielder Coco Montes, a USF product, was designated for assignment.

Besides the familiarity, manager Kevin Cash said, Gray is appealing because he hits left-handed and can play all four infield positions.

With the Rays facing right-handed pitchers over the next several games, Cash said Gray “is going to get some opportunities to play,” likely at second base.

Gray said his “head just started spinning” when he got news of the return, more so as he walked into the clubhouse.

“Everyone’s like, ‘Can you believe it? Like, there’s no way that this is happening?’ ” Gray said. “And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I know this is crazy.’ Pick it back up right where we left off.’ ”

The Rays are hoping Lowe and Kim can be back relatively soon.

Lowe, sidelined by left foot and ankle tendinitis, said he has been feeling good with light workouts. He is eligible to return Wednesday.

Kim left Monday’s game with a stiff back and was expected to miss only a few days. But when he didn’t feel right in a workout Friday, the Rays decided they couldn’t wait any longer and placed him on the IL, eligible to return Aug. 1.

“He’s grinding through it,” Cash said Friday. “He went out and ran and swung (Friday), and just didn’t think it’s something that’s going to be (healed) in the next day or two. So, we’ll (make it) retroactive (and have) seven more days, see how he responds. He’ll continue to get treatment. Then we’ll go from there.”

Buddy system

Minutes before he had the Great American Ball Park boards play a video on loop Friday of Rays manager Kevin Cash striking out in a 2010 game for Boston, Reds manager Terry Francona heaped praise on his good friend and former player and coach.

“It’s amazing it’s been 10-plus years now (for Cash with the Rays). Time goes fast,” Francona said in his office. “For public consumption, I don’t think I’d ever say something nice about him. For this room, I love the guy. And I think he’s one of the best. But if you’re going to air this, no, I don’t think much of him.”

Francona said Cash is “built for” a manager’s job.

“I thought when he was a player, he should have been a manager,” Francona said. “He hit like a manager.”

Dudes’ time

About 20 Rays players gathered Thursday night at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse for a team dinner, the third or fourth such time they’ve eaten out together this season.

“It’s just a fun thing,” said catcher Danny Jansen, one of the organizers. “It’s a long season, man. Any chance to get together, it’s always a good time. Just have a nice meal together and enjoy it.”

That, starter Ryan Pepiot said, they did.

“We got every bit of steak you could get,” Pepiot said. “We got oysters to start, Wagyu meatballs, tater tots, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese. I went with a Steak Burrow. I felt like I had to for (Bengals QB Joe Burrow). It’s a blackened New York strip with a Creole sauce on it and a crawfish on top — delicious.”

Pepiot said there is a benefit to the bonding: “Just to have a guys night and get out of the baseball environment and have a good time. ... a dudes’ dinner.”

Miscellany

Yandy Diaz’s sixth-inning homer was his 896th career hit. ... Though his 1-for-19 showing in five rehab games at Triple-A didn’t show it, outfielder Jonny DeLuca said he was ready to return, having been sidelined since early April with a right shoulder strain. He was in the lineup Saturday. “It’s been really frustrating with the setbacks and the confusion in trying to figure stuff out, but obviously that’s in the past and I’m super happy to be back,” he said.

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