Taylor Walls News: Filling in at keystone

Walls will start at second base and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Red Sox, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.

Though he looked like he would lose out on playing time when shortstop Ha-Seong Kim was reinstated from the injured list July 3, Walls has proceeded to start eight of the Rays' ensuing 10 games. He initially benefited from Kim missing three straight starts due to a calf issue, but Walls now has opportunities available at the keystone after Brandon Lowe (oblique) was placed on the IL on Friday. Tampa Bay values Walls primarily for his defense, but he hasn't been a total zero at the plate thus far in July. He'll head into Sunday's contest with a .267 batting average, one home run and two steals through his first 10 games of the month.