The Tampa Bay Rays will be without leadoff hitter Logan Forsythe for the next month after tests revealed he has a hairline fracture in his left shoulder blade. Forsythe suffered the injury on Monday after he was hit by a pitch by Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.
Forsythe absence delivers a tremendous blow to a Rays lineup that relied heavily on him at the top. This season, Forsythe has a 3.08 batting average, four home runs and 16 runs scored in addition to a .298 on-base percentage.
In Forsythe's absence the past three games, Brandon Guyer has served as the Rays' leadoff hitter and Tim Beckham has filled in at second base for two of the three games. Through 62 at bats this season, Guyer holds a .323 batting average and .455 on-base percentage, so his hot streak should help him fill in temporarily at the top of the order.