Aranda went 2-for-3 with two doubles Saturday against the Rockies.

EDGE Analysis

Aranda was on the bench for the Rays' opening contest of the season because a lefty was on the mound, but he hit cleanup Saturday while facing righty Zack Littell. He accounted for the team's only two extra-base hits before being pinch-hit for in the seventh inning with a southpaw reliever on the mound. Aranda should receive his most consistent opportunity in the majors this season, though he'll likely be on the bench against nearly all left-handed pitching.

Aranda is not in the lineup for Friday's opener against the Rockies.

EDGE Analysis

The Rockies are sending left-hander Kyle Freeland to the bump, so it's not a surprise the lefty-hitting Aranda will begin the contest on the bench. He is a candidate to come in mid-game when the Rockies use a right-handed reliever, and the 26-year-old remains likely to start at first base or DH against most righties.

Aranda is expected to see regular at-bats as the Rays' designated hitter while also serving as the backup to Yandy Diaz at first base to begin the 2025 season, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Aranda was expected to contribute to the Rays in 2024, though he lost roughly three months of the season due to finger and oblique injuries. However, he finally managed regular run with the big-league club in September when he hit .253 with five homers, 13 runs scored and 10 RBI across 85 plate appearances. Aranda then supplemented that playing time with 115 plate appearances in the Mexican Winter League, during which he maintained a 1.047 OPS. Barring more bad luck with injuries, he should have the chance to build off of that momentum to begin the 2025 season with regular at-bats against right-handed pitching.

Aranda is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Detroit.

EDGE Analysis

The left-handed hitter has homered in three straight contests, but with southpaw ace Tarik Skubal on the bump for the Tigers in this one, Aranda will take a seat. Brandon Lowe will be at first base for the Rays in the series opener.

Aranda went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Sunday against the Blue Jays.

EDGE Analysis

Aranda struck out in three of his four plate appearances, but he made his one hit count to tally his sixth homer of the season. He has now gone yard in three straight games, and he has hit .294 with five homers, eight RBI and 10 runs scored across 15 games since he became a regular starter in early September.

Aranda went 2-for-3 with two-run home run, a walk and an additional run scored in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Blue Jays.

EDGE Analysis

Aranda homered for the second straight contest, crushing a 414-foot blast off Yariel Rodriguez in the third inning. The 26-year-old has hit safely in eight of his past 10 games while going deep four times. On the season, he is hitting .248 with five long balls, 11 RBI and 19 runs scored across 117 plate appearances.

Aranda went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Friday against the Blue Jays.

EDGE Analysis

Aranda has started five straight games and 12 of the Rays' last 14 contests. He's played primarily at first base but has also made three starts at second base-- including Friday night. Since Aranda has gotten regular playing time, he's gone 12-for-44 with three home runs, four RBI and seven runs scored while striking out only 14 percent of the time.

Aranda went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Friday against the Guardians.

EDGE Analysis

Aranda has been in the lineup for seven of the Rays' last eight games, including five appearances at first base. In that limited sample, he's gone 7-for-25 with two homers, three RBI, three doubles and five runs scored. With Tampa Bay out of the playoff picture, the team could opt to continue giving Aranda run to evaluate him for a potentially expanded role in 2025.

Aranda went 2-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

The 26-year-old took Zack Wheeler deep in the sixth inning, briefly tying the game at 2-2 and giving Aranda his second homer of the season in 85 plate appearances. Aranda may be moving into a regular role for the Rays -- he's started five of the last six games, four at first base and one at second base, and gone 5-for-18 (.278) over that stretch with three doubles, a homer and a 3:4 BB:K. Tampa Bay has fallen seven games off the pace in the battle for the final wild-card spot in the AL with 16 games left to play, so the team is likely to continue giving a long look to unproven players like Aranda to evaluate their place in the franchise's future plans.

Aranda is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

The lefty-hitting Aranda had started in each of the Rays' last three games -- all against right-handed pitching -- going 2-for-11 with a double, a walk and two runs. He'll be on the bench Monday against a lefty (Cristopher Sanchez), but Aranda's opportunities to play against right-handed pitching could take a hit as soon as Brandon Lowe (finger) is able to return to the lineup. Lowe is on the bench Monday for a fourth straight game and remains day-to-day.