Rays' Walls to start season on IL due to oblique issue

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls will open the season on the injured list because of his right oblique.

Walls, 29, batted .220 with a .280 on-base percentage, four homers, 38 RBIs and 14 steals in 101 games for the Rays last season.

His injury creates the possibility that prospect Carson Williams could make Tampa Bay's opening roster.

Williams, 22, hit .172 with a .219 on-base percentage, five homers, 12 RBIs and two steals in 32 games with Tampa Bay last season. He batted .213 with a .318 on-base percentage, 23 homers, 55 RBIs and 22 steals in 111 games for Triple-A Durham.

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