Sosa likely to make his starting debut

Though the club announced no roster moves Monday, the Rays are expected to make at least two changes before tonight's game against Toronto.

Jorge Sosa, the Rule 5 pitcher claimed off waivers in March, likely will be reinstated from the 15-day disabled list and make his first major-league start.

Ryan Rupe, who was scheduled to start tonight, has been bothered by soreness and inflammation in his right knee and is expected to be placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to Thursday. The right-hander is 0-4 with 7.20 ERA in his past four starts and would be eligible to come off the DL on July 5.

Sosa was converted to relief pitching last season after playing the outfield for six in the Mariners organization. Used solely out of the Rays bullpen this season, he has been on the DL since May 26 with a right shoulder strain and didn't allow a run over seven innings in two rehabilitation starts for Double-A Orlando.

Among other moves being discussed by team officials, reliever Jesus Colome may be recalled from Triple-A Durham if struggling setup man Victor Zambrano is sent down.

Zambrano has allowed 15 runs on 21 hits and walked 12 in his past 191/3 innings.

Optioned May 15 after allowing seven earned runs over three outings and struggling to hold runners close, Colome is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 12 games at Durham.

ALL QUIET: Manager Hal McRae said he doesn't expect there to be any renewal of hostility between his club and the Blue Jays.

An exchange of up-and-in pitches caused a bench- and bullpen-clearing confrontation when the teams last met in Toronto on June 6.

First, Toronto's Luke Prokopec hit Aubrey Huff in the head. Then, umpire Kerwin Danley issued a warning the Rays didn't think was necessary. Tampa Bay's Joe Kennedy threw a pitch that sailed by Ken Huckaby's head. Kennedy and McRae were ejected. McRae said Prokopec was "bush league" and "unprofessional" for throwing at Huff's head. Kennedy was suspended for seven games, and he and McRae were fined.

"It's forgotten," McRae said. "I've been fined $500, Joe's been fined whatever he was fined ($1,000) and suspended for seven days, so there's no place for us to go with this thing.

"I wouldn't mind if they did something, but we're not going to do anything. The message was clear. Not to say it won't ever occur again, but the message was clear."

Prokopec is on the disabled list and Kennedy, who is awaiting a hearing after appealing his suspension, is not scheduled to pitch in this series.

HIT MAN: Randy Winn has had a torrid June. With even a tepid final week, he should end up with the best offensive month in team history.

Winn has 34 hits, four shy of the team mark Fred McGriff set in July 1999. Winn also has 16 extra-base hits, two shy of the team-record 18 McGriff logged in May 1999.

Winn has a .374 June average but would need to hit better than .500 over the final six games to surpass McGriff's record of .422.

Winn also is one stolen base from matching Miguel Cairo's team career record of 69.

WELCOME BACK: The series at Tropicana Field will be something of a homecoming for Carlos Tosca, who took over as Blue Jays manager this month. Tosca lives in Valrico, played at Brandon High, and coached previously at King High, USF and Eckerd College.

MISCELLANY: Rays pitchers have made 31 quality starts (three runs or fewer in six innings or more) and won only nine of the games. ... The Jays are one of four teams the Rays have a .500 or better record against at home. ... Negotiations are continuing with first-round draft pick B.J. Upton and No. 3 selection Elijah Dukes.

-- MARC TOPKIN, KEVIN KELLY