Burrell back tonight; Joyce optioned out

With their disabled list threatening to hit double digits after a flurry of injuries the last few weeks, the Rays have waited patiently for reinforcements. The first will arrive tonight.

DH Pat Burrell (strained neck) is expected to be in the lineup as the Rays open a weekend series against the Washington Nationals after completing a three-game rehab assignment by going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts for Single-A Charlotte on Thursday night.

The Rays cleared a roster spot for Burrell following Thursday's game by optioning OF Matt Joyce to Durham.

Close behind Burrell is SS Jason Bartlett (sprained left ankle), who is set to begin a three-game stint with the Stone Crabs tonight. He'll DH in the first game then play in the field the next two days before joining the Rays on a late Monday flight to Colorado for a series that begins Tuesday.

Getting Bartlett back should boost the Rays in every aspect of the game, as his fielding is as valuable to them as his bat. That isn't the case with Burrell as the Rays aren't going to use him in the field, but Manager Joe Maddon said he felt it was important to get Burrell back now even though the Rays face six consecutive games without a DH next week against the Rockies and Mets.

"You could argue for that and you could also argue about the situation that's going to occur in the seventh inning when he pinch-hits and hits a double with the bases loaded," Maddon said. "Obviously you're looking for a situation where you could play somebody in the field, but then again, that one pinch-hit role might be extremely big. He'll be utilized, and hopefully we'll be able to utilize him in a situation where they have to pitch to him."

Pedro? Probably not

A Rays official in the Dominican Republic recently watched Pedro Martinez work out there, but it doesn't sound like Tampa Bay has any plans to sign the three-time Cy Young Award winner.

The Dominican newspaper Listin Diario reported on its Web site that Martinez threw 20 pitches - all fastballs - for the Rays, who planned to work him out again. Indications from the team, however, were that it is "very unlikely" anything will come of the audition. The Boston Globe reported the Cubs also watched Martinez throw.

Martinez went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 starts for the Mets last season after returning from shoulder surgery and hasn't found any takers for his services after a brief showcase with the Dominican team in the World Baseball Classic this spring.

Draft wrap-up

The Rays concluded this year's amateur draft with rounds 31-50 Thursday, making picks devoted mostly to stocking farm teams with the hope that one or two might exceed expectations.

"From 31 on, a lot of it is college seniors that we need to go out and fill rosters," said scouting director R.J. Harrison. "There's been some guys that have gone from being senior guys filling rosters to become big-leaguers, fighting their way through systems."

One late-round Rays pick to keep an eye on is 37th-rounder Austin Maddox, a catcher from Eagle's View Academy in Jacksonville who has committed to Florida.

"Maddox was a guy that, coming into the year, was a high-profile guy and has been for a couple years - he's a good player," Harrison said. "A lot of times what happens is a kid like that falls through the first few rounds and people just figure he's going to school. So we thought it was worth taking him and seeing what might happen."

Odds and ends

LHP Brian Shouse (elbow strain) has been cleared to play catch but the Rays aren't sure when he'll return. ... Former Rays and Angels catcher Josh Paul dropped by the Trop. Paul is set to manage the Yankees' short-season Staten Island affiliate this year.

Marc Lancaster