38-year old switch hitting catcher Gregg Zaun has been hot with the bat since coming over from the Orioles in a earlier this month. He has played in 15 games for the Rays and he is 15 for 49 (.306 avg, .823 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 2 homers and 8 RBIs. Dioner Navarro has failed to respond to the challenge that Zaun is giving him which could result in him spending a lot of time on the pine.

Starting CF B.J. Upton got off to a slow start this season but he caught fire in June which is also when the Rays got hot. Upton has 34 for 105 (.324 avg, .957 OPS) with 20 runs scored, 5 homers, 22 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. You can figure out how bad Upton’s first two months were when looking at his season numbers. Upton has played in 74 games this season for the Rays and he is 74 for 300 (.247 avg, .725 OPS) with 52 runs scored, 7 homers, 32 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. The Rays need Upton to stay hot if they are going to make another run in the American League East.

Carlos Pena is really heating up for the Rays who need his stick big time with the losses of Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford. Pena is 37 for 139 (.266 avg) in July and August and he has scored 28 runs, cranked 13 homers and driven in 31 runs in a very impressive run that the Rays need him to continue. Carlos Pena’s overall numbers are starting to look better after a very slow start to the season. Pena has now played in 100 games this season and he is 88 for 362 (.243 avg, .850 OPS) with 56 runs scored, 24 homers and 68 RBIs. The Rays need Pena more now than ever to hold off the Red Sox who are 3.5 games behind them in the American League East.

The Tampa Bay Rays didn’t make any promises to Eric Hinske when they brought him to spring training on a minor league contract. Hinske not only made the Rays out of spring training but he’s been a key player to the team’s success this season. He has played 1B, 3B, LF, RF and DH this season for the Rays and he’s been decent defensively at all of those positions. Hinske has now played in 73 games for the Rays this season and he is 57 for 222 (.257 avg, .853 OPS) with 34 runs scored, 13 homers, 44 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. Hinske will likely continue playing full time this year for the Rays as long as he keeps swinging a good bat.

The Rays have signed 38-year old righty swinging Mike DiFelice to a minor league contract. DiFelice is the favorite right now to back up Dioner Navarro next season for the Rays. He played in 16 games last season for the Mets and he was 10 for 40 (.250 avg, .661 OPS) with 1 run scored and 5 RBIs. DiFelice has now played in 543 games in his major league career and he is 362 for 1,538 (.235 avg, .642 OPS) with 144 runs scored, 28 homers and 163 RBIs.