After salvaging a game against the Twins, the Tampa Bay Rays continue their road trip in New York City on Tuesday, where they start a three-game series against the Yankees. The Bronx Bummers shellacked the Cubs in a series sweep over the weekend.
At 35-25 on the season, the Rays enter play 10 games above .500 and with an opportunity to gain some ground in the division … although it won’t be easy.
Even though the Rays are 27-16 when they score four runs or more, Tampa Bay dropped the first two games of the series against the Twins despite scoring at least four runs in both contests (15 runs total). It’s kind of difficult to win games when you’re consistently playing from behind, innit? Even so, Tampa Bay continues to receive offensive contributions from Ji-Man Choi (228 wRC+ over the last seven days), Harold Ramirez (185 wRC+ over the last seven days), Randy Arozarena (179 wRC+ over the last seven days), and Manuel Margot (163 wRC+ over the last seven days), and positive flashes from Kevin Kiermaier, Vidal Brujan, Taylor Walls, and Isaac Paredes. The whole crew will need to step up and play some of their best baseball against an incredibly tough team.
New York has won 11 consecutive home games and is an MLB-best 26–7 at home this season. Let’s be honest here, 10 out of 13 Yankees’ position players have gone off over the last week, including Matt Carpenter who’s performed to an insane (yet unsustainable) 600 wRC+ across that stretch. Then again, take that with a grain of salt since the mustachioed one has played in two games over the last seven days. Whatever the case, six of his seven hits as a Yankee have been homers, so clearly his well-groomed facial hair is having some impact on Carpenter.
The Rays and Yankees split a four-game series at the Trop a few weeks back.
Pitching Probables
Over the next three days, Kevin Cash will call on Corey Kluber (3-2, 3.88 ERA), Shane McClanahan (7-2, 1.87 ERA), and Drew Rasmussen (5-3, 3.41 ERA). Aaron Boone will counter with Kermit the Fog Gerrit Cole (5-1, 3.63 ERA), Nestor Cortes (5-2, 1.96 ERA), and Luis Severino (4-1, 2.80 ERA).
Corey Kluber allowed three earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out five across five innings on Wednesday against the Cardinals. Kluber wasn’t hit particularly hard, as Tyler O’Neill registered the only extra-base hit against the right-hander with a fourth-inning solo home. He handled the Yankees the last time he faced them, allowing just one run across six innings. Kluber boasts an 8.03 K/BB in his last six starts with a 3.49 FIP and has allowed three or fewer earned runs in five consecutive starts. Overall, the right-hander maintains a 3.88 ERA and 3.65 FIP, with a 1.15 WHIP, and 5.66 K/BB across 55.2 innings on the season.
Gerrit Cole allowed seven runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out three across 2.1 innings against Minnesota on Thursday. Cole had been on a roll entering Thursday, notching seven quality starts while posting a 2.02 ERA over his previous eight turns on the mound. Yet, he hardly resembled that pitcher against Minnesota, surrendering three runs in each of the first and second frames before being pulled after allowing a solo homer in the third inning. Minnesota smoked five homers off Cole — the most he has given up in a single game in his career — and the first three batters he faced in the contest took him deep. Yadda yadda yadda to en extent, as Cole allowed just one run against Tampa Bay previously at the Trop with three walks and 10 strikeouts. Overall, he maintains a 3.88 ERA and 2.79 FIP, with a 1.15 WHIP, and 5.66 K/BB across 55.2 innings on the season. Key Matchups: Ji-Man Choi (8-16, 3 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 5 BB), Yandy Diaz (10-27, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, BB), Francisco Mejia (1-2), Harold Ramirez (2-2, 4 RBI)
Shane McClanahan allowed an unearned run on two hits and one walk while striking out nine across eight innings on Thursday against St. Louis. McClanahan continued his run of dominance by racking up 20 swinging strikes across 94 total pitches. He allowed two of his three baserunners in the sixth inning, which resulted in the Cardinals’ only run after McClanahan committed a throwing error. Even so, he has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts. The left-hander allowed just one run on seven hits (one homer) across seven frames while striking out seven Yankees on May 29. Overall, McClanahan owns a 1.87 ERA and a 2.45 FIP, with a 7.54 K/BB across 72.1 innings on the season.
Nestor Cortes surrendered four runs on seven hits while striking out three against the Twins on Wednesday. The Twins got to Cortes for two runs in the bottom of the fourth before launching two solo homers in the next frame. The four runs allowed were his highest total of the season while the loss snaps a four-start win streak for the 27-year-old. He allowed just one run on four scattered hits against the Rays on May 26, while striking out five. Cortes still owns an incredible 1.96 ERA and a 2.85 FIP, with a 0.92 WHIP and 71 strikeouts across 64.1 innings (11 outings) this season. Key Matchups: Vidal Brujan (1-3), Kevin Kiermaier (3-6, 3B, 3 RBI), Manuel Margot (2-8, 2B), Francisco Mejia (2-4), Harold Ramirez (1-3)
Drew Rasmussen coughed up seven runs (four earned) on nine hits and two walks over 4.1 innings against the Twins. He struck out three. Byron Buxton was his biggest nemesis on the night, launching homers off Rasmussen in the first and fifth innings, although he didn’t have much success against the rest of the Minnesota lineup either. Rasmussen has had his two worst performances of the season in his last three trips to the mound, although he still carries a 3.41 ERA and 3.90 FIP on the season, with a 1.14 WHIP, and 3.06 K/BB through 58 innings.
Luis Severino allowed a run on seven hits and a walk while striking out 10 across six innings against the Cubs on Friday. Severino matched his season-high strikeout total, and he posted his fourth quality start in his last five starts. The right-hander threw 70 of 103 pitches for strikes (68% strike rate), and the lone run he gave up came via a solo homer to Jason Heyward in the top of the fifth. Severino allowed four runs on two hits (both homers) and two walks across 6.1 innings on May 29. Overall, he maintains a 3.41 ERA and 3.46 FIP on the season, with a 1.14 WHIP, and 3.06 K/BB through 58 innings. Key Matchups: Ji-Man Choi (3-6, HR, RBI, BB), Taylor Walls (1-2, HR, RBI)