Josh Lowe's return, Brandon Lowe's 2 homers lead Rays past Blue Jays

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on May 15, 2025

Published in Baseball

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Given the Rays’ offensive inconsistencies, manager Kevin Cash wasn’t shy about making a big ask.

Talking before Thursday’s game in Toronto, Cash said the Rays were hoping Josh Lowe could return from the injured list swinging the hot bat he had in spring training and provide a needed spark to the lineup.

Lowe did just that, with a leadoff single that led to a two-run first inning and a solo homer on a three-hit day, as the Rays beat the Blue Jays, 8-3.

The win, which was the Rays’ ninth in their last 11 road games and improved them to 20-23 overall, was very much a team effort.

Starter Zack Littell worked impressively into the eighth inning. Brandon Lowe homered twice with Josh Lowe on base, and rookie Kameron Misner also went deep. Jose Caballero twice got hits and came around to score. The infielders turned three inning-ending double plays, and Misner made a couple key catches in center. Reliever Manny Rodriguez got them through a tough Toronto threat in the eighth.

“We needed a win (Thursday). The guys came out against a very good pitcher in (Kevin) Gausman, J-Lowe and B-Lowe kind of got it started and then a lot of people really contributed,” Cash told reporters at Rogers Centre.

“Josh, having him back was huge for us. It feels like B-Lowe (7 for 13 in the series) and Danny Jansen (4 for 11) are starting to trend in the right direction. Misner picked up a home run; it had been a while, but some great defensive plays by him as well.”

Cash is hoping the Rays can build some much-needed momentum as they head to Miami for a weekend series with the 16-26 Marlins.

“You add Yandy (Diaz, who missed the Toronto series due to a passport renewal issue) back in there (Friday), and that’s kind of what we hope and dream on a little bit,” Cash said.

“These guys are talented. I know it’s been a little bit of a grind here to start the season, but eventually we’ve got to turn some things around, and hopefully (Thursday) was a step in that direction.”

Josh Lowe said he just happy to help the team.

“It feels great to be back,” he told FanDuel Sports Sun in an onfield interview. “So thankful to be standing here right now in this situation. During the whole rehab process, (I was) thankful for the rehab team to help me get back here, and just thankful for God’s grace to keep me grounded during that time and to just be where my feet are and then let everything happen.”

Lowe, activated a day earlier than planned after Travis Jankowski strained his groin Wednesday night, singled on the fifth pitch of the afternoon by Jays starter Kevin Gausman.

Brandon Lowe, who said he switched back to his old bat at the end of the homestand after six weeks of little success with a new one, then knocked the next pitch over the right-center-field fence for a 2-0 lead, the season-high fourth straight game the Rays scored first.

The Rays added a run in the third with some small ball as Caballero singled, went to second on Taylor Walls’ bunt single, stole third on the front end of a double steal and scored on ex-Jay Jansen’s single.

Littell didn’t make many mistakes, but gave up solo homers in the second to Addison Barger, in the third to Vlad Guerrero and in the eighth to Nathan Lukes.

The Rays did something they haven’t done often, tacking on more runs for Littell, who came into the game with the lowest run support since the start of 2024. They scored in five of the first six innings.

Misner opened the fourth with a homer, his fourth of the season, but first in more than a month. Lowe homered in the fifth to extend the lead to 5-2. Caballero doubled with one out in the sixth and scored on Chandler Simpson’s single. Josh Lowe singled with one out in the ninth, and Brandon Lowe homered again.