After going 3-2 on the road, the Tampa Bay Rays return to the friendly confines of the Trop. (Photo Credit: X-Rays Spex)

After a two-game sweep of the Marlins and a 3-2 road trip, the Tampa Bay Rays return to the friendly confines of Tropicana Field, where they start a three-game series against the Bronx Bummers on Friday. The Yankees dropped two of three against the Angles.

The Rays enter play 15 games above .500 for the first time this season, 18-9 in the month of August, and tied for the top spot in the AL Wildcard race. More interesting, while they were 15 games back of the Yankees in the division a month ago, they enter this series six back in the AL East and five back in the loss column. That is to say, this is an important set for Tampa Bay which has a huge opportunity to gain some ground in the division with 33 games left to play.

In spite of an injury that landed Shane McClanahan on the shelf for the next 13 days — assuming he returns September 15 versus the Blue Jays — Tampa Bay’s pitching staff was nails against Miami, surrendering three combined runs over 19 innings. The performances by Drew Rasmussen and the Rays’ bullpen capped a fantastic month of August where they put up a combined 2.85 ERA and 2.96 FIP (3.14 xFIP) across 243 innings.

Tampa Bay also put up 4.5 runs per game against a pretty good Marlins pitching staff. Over the last seven days, the Rays slashed .286 BA/.351 OBP/.473 SLG/.824 OPS with a .186 ISO and a 141 wRC+, largely without the benefit of Brandon Lowe, who was also placed on the 10-Day IL on Wednesday, retroactive to August 28. While Yandy Díaz (four doubles, one homer, eight runs, 286 wRC+), José Siri (two doubles, two homers, seven runs, 251 wRC+), and Randy Arozarena (three doubles, one homer, six runs, 224 wRC+) — among others — continued their torrid streak in the batters’ box over the last week, Tampa Bay received contributions up and down the batting order. They are clicking, you love to see it.

The Yankees continued their second-half collapse poor spate of play, dropping four out of five to the Athletics and Angels after winning five in a row. The “high-powered” offense scored four runs or fewer in eight of their last 10 games and slashed .218 BA/.305 OBP/.335 SLG/.640 OPS over the last week, with a .117 ISO, and an 85 wRC+. Adding insult to injury, they also lost Aroldis Chapman (leg infection from a tattoo), Nestor Cortes (groin), and Luis Severino (lat) to the IL, while Jameson Taillon, Shane Greene, Anthony Rizzo, and Carlos Espinal are all listed as day-to-day, which certainly doesn’t help their cause.

The Rays are 5-8 against the Yankees this season, and 3-4 against them at the Trop, although they won their most recent series in the Bronx August 15-17.

Rays Pitching Probables

Over the next three days, Kevin Cash is expected to turn to Jeffrey Springs (6-4, 2.76 ERA), Ryan Yarbrough (1-8, 4.87 ERA), and Corey Kluber (9-7, 4.21 ERA). Aaron Boone will counter with Domingo Germán (2-2, 3.19 ERA), Clarke Schmidt (5-3, 2.89 ERA), and Frankie Montas (0-2, 7.01 ERA).

Jeffrey Springs allowed five runs on eight hits and one walk over six innings against Boston on Saturday. He struck out eight. Springs allowed a solo home run to second baseman Kiké Hernández to lead off the fourth after giving up a pair of two-run singles in the first. This is the first time in 18 starts and 26 appearances during 2022 that the lefty allowed five runs or more, while his BABIP sits at an unlucky .400 over the last two weeks. Springs had been pitching well in the four starts prior to this contest, recording a 1.66 ERA and 0.97 WHIP across 21.2 innings. Overall, the left-hander owns a 2.76 ERA and a 3.17 FIP, with a 1.11 WHIP, and a 4.78 K/BB across 101.0 innings. Springs is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts against the Yankees this season.

Domingo Germán allowed three hits with five strikeouts across 7.2 scoreless innings against the Athletics on Saturday. Making his eighth start of the season, Germán and Oakland starter Adam Oller engaged in an unlikely pitcher’s duel. Germán found the zone with an impressive 60 of 79 pitches (76% strike rate) and has now surrendered one run or fewer in four of his last five turns. He sports a 3.19 ERA and a 4.09 FIP, with a 1.11 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts across 42.1 innings. Germán allowed three runs on five hits and a walk across 4.2 innings when both teams last paired off. Key Matchups: Randy Arozarena (2-7, HR, RBI), Yandy Díaz (5-14, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Francisco Mejía (2-4, 2 RBI, BB), José Siri (1-1, 2B, BB)

Corey Kluber gave up three runs on eight hits while striking out four over six innings Sunday against Boston. Kluber was tagged with three solo home runs in Sunday’s win. It was the first time Kluber had given up multiple home runs in a start since May 10. He now sports a 4.21 ERA and a 3.71 FIP, with an excellent 6.56 K/BB through 134.2 frames. In spite of all that, Kluber owns a 1.50 ERA in three starts against the Yankees this season.

Clarke Schmidt allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk with seven strikeouts across 4.1 innings Sunday against the Athletics. Schmidt allowed a pair of runs in each of the first and third innings, while the Yankees’ sputtering offense couldn’t cover the damage. This was Schmidt’s second start of the season and his first since June 16. It was also the right-hander’s longest major-league outing of the season. Through 37.1 innings with the Yankees, he’s posted a 2.89 ERA and a 3.50 FIP, with a 1.34 WHIP, and a 1.89 K/BB in 18 appearances, mainly as a long reliever. Schmidt has allowed one run on four hits (including a homer) across 5.2 combined innings against the Rays this season. Key Matchups: Yu Chang (1-1), Yandy Díaz (1-3), Harold Ramírez (1-3, 2B), Taylor Walls (1-2, 2B)

Ryan Yarbrough took a step back after a pair of great outings, allowing five runs on eight hits across 3.1 innings. He struck out three. In so doing, the left-hander was optioned to Triple-A Durham to create a spot for Garrett Cleavinger on the active roster. Yarbrough took over in the second inning after JT Chargois put up a scoreless start, and promptly gave up a run in the frame. He then gave up two runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Yarbrough had tossed 8.1 scoreless frames over his previous two outings but his ERA now sits at 4.87 through 16 appearances, with a 4.49 FIP (4.64 xFIP), a 3.00 K/BB, and a 1.38 WHIP. Poor outcomes aside, Yarbrough is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in two outings (one start) against New York this season.

Frankie Montas allowed four runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out six batters over six innings on Monday against the Angels. Montas threw 62 of 91 pitches for strikes (68% strike rate) and induced 15 swings-and-misses, but his inability to keep the ball in the park did him in. He was rocked by solo shots from Luis Rengifo and Mike Ford before serving up the decisive two-run homer to Shohei Ohtani in the fifth inning. Montas hadn’t surrendered more than two long homers in any contest before Monday, so this was more of an aberration than the norm for him. He’s yet to get into the win column with New York, going 0-2 with a 7.02 ERA and 1.52 WHIP over 25.2 innings through five starts. Montas is 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA in two starts against the Rays this season (13.1 innings of work with the A’s). Key Matchups: Francisco Mejía (2-5, 2B), Harold Ramírez (2-4, RBI)

Noteworthiness

— On Thursday, Tampa Bay activated RHP Matt Wisler from the 15-day IL and recalled INF Jonathan Aranda as big-league rosters expanded to 28 players for the remainder of the regular season. These are the initial moves by the Rays.

Per Neil Solondz, they are expected to be extremely creative with the roster for the remaining 33 ball games. We’ll have more on those moves in the very near future as they roll out.