Rays’ Jonathan Aranda And Brandon Lowe Overcome Setbacks To Become All-Stars

In the aftermath of blasting a home run that may have picked up an order of Boog’s Barbeque before seemingly coming to rest somewhere near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Jonanthan Aranda was asked about the possibility of traveling to Atlanta to participate in the all-star game.

“I understand the system,” he said that late-June afternoon, after not surprisingly finishing behind Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt in American League voting at first base. “I know that the other two guys, they are stars. I’m concentrating on what I can control, and that’s all I’m doing.”

Aranda has done a heck of a job controlling what he can especially with the disappointment he has endured with injuries delaying his arrival as a regular in the big leagues.

After cameos with the Rays in 2022 and 2023, the team had its fingers crossed that 2024 would be the year Aranda arrived in earnest. That was until the native Mexican and lefty-swinging batsman had a finger fractured at the end what had been an outstanding Grapefruit League season. It was mid-May by the time Aranda joined the Rays and he subsequently struggled (.213) before being sent to Triple-A Durham. An oblique injury that later cost him two months only added to the frustration of a season that limited him to 44 games with the parent club.

There have been no such issues this season. The 27-year-old Aranda has not only carried the momentum of another strong spring training into this season, but he has been among MLB’s top hitters while lifting his average as high as .332 on June 24. He headed into Tuesday evening’s game in Detroit with 10 homers, 48 RBI and an .874 OPS that was sixth in the American League.

“I’m very happy and very proud, for everything I’ve been through, to be named an All-Star,” Aranda told reporters Sunday after learning of his selection. “It’s been a long journey, but now being named an All-Star, it’s something that I will always be grateful for.”

Brandon Lowe perseveres

It will be six years between all-star appearances for Lowe, who as rookie in 2019 was selected for the game in Cleveland. Unfortunately, a right shin bone bruise that refused to stop barking not only kept him out of the game, but sidelined him until the final week of the regular season. At the time of injury, Lowe was hitting .276 with 16 homers and an .862 OPS. Despite finishing the season having played in only 82 games, he placed third behind Houston’s Yordan Alvarez (unanimous) and Baltimore’s John Means in American League Rookie of the Year voting.

Injuries, including to the lower back, have limited Lowe to one season (2021) of at least 400 at-bats in his career. Other than being removed from Sunday afternoon’s game in Minnesota and sitting out Monday evening’s game at Detroit on a precautionary basis due to a sore left side, this season has been a healthy and very productive one. Among second basemen, Lowe’s 19 home runs are tied with Arizona’s Ketel Marte for the most in MLB, and his 50 RBI lead the way.

“I don’t know what the difference is, if it is being on natural grass and not being on turf or whatnot,” he said during the Rays’ most recent homestand, allowing for the possibility that playing home games on the natural surface of Steinbrenner Field has contributed to his health. “(The training staff and I) have put in a lot of work the past few years trying to make sure I was going to get back on the field and stay healthy. It’s nice to see it pay off.”

Lowe, who struck out in his only at-bat against the Twins on Sunday to halt a 20-game hitting streak that is tied with Yandy Diaz (2024) for the longest in team history, was hitting .190 on May 13 before closing the month on a 13-game hitting streak. He then hit .337 with seven homers in June, lifting his average more than 80 points over a six-week stretch.

“It’s been a long journey back,” Lowe said Sunday, his 31st birthday. “Obviously, the first All-Star (selection) came back in my rookie year, so kind of the trials that I’ve overcome to get back to this point. It’s nice to be able to say that I’m going back.”