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Richie Palacios' exceptional hitting has been an excellent start for him and the Rays

Palacios has been on a tear lately. His exceptional hitting has been helping the Rays vastly; it sounds like a familiar story, as the Rays got him from St. Louis this past offseason.

By Daniel Mercado

San Francisco Giants v Tampa Bay Rays
San Francisco Giants v Tampa Bay Rays / Douglas P. DeFelice/GettyImages
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Palacios' hot hitting is starting to be noticed

Palacios has been on fire lately, especially in his past seven games. He is hitting at a .381 clip with a .409 OBP and one RBI. Palacios' most recent memorable hit was when he drove in catcher Rene Pinto at the bottom of the thirteenth with two outs to tie the game against the Los Angeles Angels. The Rays won the game with Amed Rosario's walk-off infield hit, 7-6.

Rays manager Kevin Cash speaks about Palacios' crucial hit in the bottom of the thirteenth.

"Great piece of hitting and a big moment for a young player who hasn't got a lot of reps but really came through for us."

- Rays Manager Kevin Cash

So far, Palacios slashes a .279/.404./.385 in thirty-nine at-bats. Moreover, Palacios' young stint with the Rays has already achieved a three-hit day and a homerun with great defense from the outfield.

When did the Rays acquired Palacios

The Rays made the call to the St. Louis Cardinals to trade all-star reliever Andrew Kittredge on January 5, 2024, to acquire Palacios. This story sounds quite familiar, as the Rays traded for Randy Arozarena in the 2020 season, which led to a historical postseason run for Arozarena and the club.

Moreover, Palacios had a wild season to remember before coming to the Rays. He was traded from Cleveland for cash considerations to St. Louis last June. He was with the Guardians organization for six seasons.

Once traded to St. Louis, he made a brief stint with the Major League team; and blasted six home runs with 16 RBIs in 102 plate appearances. Furthermore, Palacios usually played with the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A team, where he posted a .299 batting average with a .418 OBP in 40 games.

Following the 2024 season, there was a question of who would make the Rays opening-day roster, especially in the outfield, which was a bit questionable as Josh Lowe went down with an injury.

Palacios remained confident and played well during spring training, giving him a spot on the roster. In addition, Palacios may be in his youth, but he sure does have a lot of experience. Knowing that the Rays get exceptional players via the trade, the outfielder is going to put on a show.

The Future is Looking Bright

Rays' fans should be excited that this young kid has been playing impressive ball in his brief time in St. Pete. Many more hits and home runs are expected for Palacios this season. People wonder if he will be the next big thing like Azoarena or Paredes. As long as Palacios remains vigilant as he has been at the plate, you could see a future all-star appearance in the upcoming years.

This week, the Rays will visit the Bronx Bombers in a three-game series. This is a homecoming for Palacios, as he is a Brooklyn native looking to put on a show in front of his family and friends.