On the day he was officially announced as the Opening Day starter, Chris Archer became the first Rays hurler to work into the fifth inning this Spring. Unfortunately the Tampa Bay Rays fell 5-0 to the Atlanta Braves in Kissimmee.
The Rays ace struggled early, allowing four hits and two runs ― one earned ― over 4-2/3 innings. He was also fortunate to allow just one run during a 29-pitch first that included a pair of walks and two opposite-field singles by Nick Markakis and Michael Bourn.
Archer allowed that he had been a little slow to start the previous two outings, and this time he focused on attacking the strike zone from the get-go.
The past two games I’ve started a little slow in the first inning, Archer said. I think I’ve been a little too passive. I’m not a passive pitcher. I have to be extremely aggressive in the strike zone, and after I got out of that first inning, I felt like myself. I didn’t feel like myself in the last game either. But the second, third and fourth innings I really felt like myself.
Archer settled down after the shaky first, telling reporters that he felt more like himself from the second to fifth innings:
From the second through the fifth I felt like myself, I felt better from pitch 35 to 72 than I did for the first 25. Maybe that’s a hint I need to throw more in the bullpen or whatever. I felt stronger (in the fifth) and, to me, it was a win if I could pitch into the fourth.
The righty, who ended the day after throwing 72 pitches (38 strikes), finished strong by fanning Adonis Garcia for the second out of the fifth inning. All told, Archer struck out three.
Prior to the game, Rays manager Kevin Cash named Archer the Opening Day starter against the Toronto Blue Jays.
It’s Archer’s second consecutive Opening Day. If you recall, Alex Cobb was tapped as the Opening Day starter last season, yet a stint on the DL with right forearm tendinitis, and later season-ending Tommy John surgery, prevented him from even taking the mound.
Last year it happened, but not under the best of circumstances, Archer said, alluding to Cobb needing the season ending surgery. To kind of be the one to earn it for the 2016 season is really nice, even more special than last year considering how it happened and considering all the arms we have that are healthy this year. …When (Cash) told me, `I know you had an idea, but it’s still an accomplishment ― don’t forget that,’ it was him telling me not to take it for granted. People pitch their whole lives and never accomplish it.
Outfielder Jaff Decker had the best moment defensively. In his best Kevin Kiermaier impersonation, Decker ranged back to the left-field wall and robbed former Rays infielder Reid Brignac of a homer in the sixth inning.
In another flash-of-the-leather moment for Tampa Bay, infield prospect Andrew Velazquez made a beautiful backhanded pick to start a 6-4-3 double play in the seventh.
Brad Miller*, who has been questionable when speaking of throwing across the diamond, made three perfect chest-high throws from short.
Offensively, the only highlight was a James Loney fourth inning inning double. In the end, the Rays plated no runs on just three hits and three walks.
The New What Next
Drew Smyly will make his third start of the Spring, opposite of right-hander Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies. Also expected to see action are David Carpenter, Ryan Webb, Alex Colome and Xavier Cedeno.
Rays 3/15/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Miller SS
Longoria 3B
Morrison 1B
Jennings LF
Souza RF
Kiermaier CF
Casali C
Rivera DH
Smyly LHP
Noteworthiness
― The Rays released their tentative schedule for the trip to Cuba. The first pitch for the March 22nd game is slated for 2:00 pm, and the game will be aired on ESPN. Monday is slated for press conferences, workouts, and a kids clinic.
― The team is planning to release a list of players slated to go on the trip to Cuba on Tuesday. The inclusion of Cuban OF Dayron Varona is expected.
― Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) Steve Pearce’s calf muscle is improving, and he expects to be back in lineup by Thursday.
*On the subject of Miller, I’m currently in the midst of writing a piece on the infielder. I’ll hopefully be done with that in the next day.