After dropping a fourth consecutive one or two-run contest, the Tampa Bay Rays look to get back on the winning side of the ledger this afternoon in Baltimore.
The Rays enter play just six games above .500 for the first time in about a month. No Bueno.
Shane Baz got the start Friday and yielded two hits over six scoreless frames against Baltimore. He struck out seven. Baz looked much better in his second start of the season, allowing just three baserunners in the clean outing. He threw 48 of 76 pitches for strikes (63% strike rate), including 14 whiffs (18% SwStr%), and struck out the side in his final frame. He now sports a 5.40 ERA — down from 19.29, mind you — through 8.1 frames, with a 3.98 FIP, a 0.96 WHIP, and a 3.00 K/BB.
Offensively speaking, there isn’t much to talk about. Tampa Bay struck out 13 times, while only two runners made it to second; they went 0-for-3 wRISP along the way.
Marc Topkin described the doomed sixth inning, which, frankly, is emblematic of the Rays’ poor offense of late.
Brujan, hitting leadoff for a second straight game, delivered his second hit of the night. Diaz, who has been having some of their best swings, laced a 103 mph liner, but right at centerfielder Cedric Mullins.
Next was Choi, another of the few Rays hitters delivering quality at-bats. Cash gave Brujan the green light to steal second, but he didn’t get that good of a jump and was thrown out, the majors-most 19th time the Rays have been caught stealing (to go along with 44 successful steals, third-most)
Then Choi lined a ball into the rightfield corner but tried to stretch it to a double. After initially being called safe, he was ruled out on a quick replay reversal. It was majors-most 30th out the Rays have made trying to take extra bases.
— Marc Topkin
In the words of Brian Anderson,
This offense is cursed when things like that happen.
— Brian Anderson
Beyond that, Brett Phillips also summarized the Rays’ struggles rather succinctly.
Maybe we’re trying to do too much with some of our key offensive guys being out, maybe pressing. I know I am. But it’s one of those things. It’s an opportunity for guys to step up and produce and, unfortunately right now, maybe pressing too hard and trying to do too much.
— Brett Phillips
All told, Tampa Bay has hit just one home run and just three doubles in four defeats, scoring only four runs along the way.
Flush it.
The New What Next
Jeffrey Springs (3-2, 1.45 ERA) will get the start this afternoon, pitching opposite of Kyle Bradish (1-4, 6.86 ERA).
Jeffrey Springs allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five over 5.1 scoreless innings on Sunday versus the Twins. Springs was stingy on the mound and received plenty of support from the Rays’ offense. This was his second win in eight starts, and it’s the fifth time he’s managed to keep runs off the board since moving into the rotation. Overall, he’s pitched to a strong 1.45 ERA and 3.16 FIP, with a 0.91 WHIP and a 4.17 K/BB across 49.2 innings (16 outings). Springs is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA across three outings (one start) against the Orioles this season.
Kyle Bradish allowed five runs on nine hits and a walk with three strikeouts across 4.1 innings on Monday versus the Blue Jays. Bradish has completed five innings just once in his last six turns after doing so twice in his first three major-league starts. The fifth inning proved troublesome this time, as he was responsible for three of the Blue Jays’ seven runs in the frame, although he was also to keep the ball in the yard for the first time this season. The right-hander has an uninspiring 6.86 ERA and 5.61 FIP, with a 1.67 WHIP, and 2.53 K/BB and 10 home runs allowed across 42 innings this season. On the season, Bradish is 0-1 with a 8.44 ERA in one start against the Rays this season. Key Matchups: Randy Arozarena (2-2, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB), Yandy Diaz (1-3), Kevin Kiermaier (2-3)
You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.
Rays 6/18/22 Starting Lineup
- null
- Kiermaier CF
- Margot RF
- Diaz 3B
- Choi DH
- Arozarena LF
- Ramirez 1B
- Walls SS
- Paredes 2B
- Mejia C
Noteworthiness
— When Pitching Ninja shouts out BA:
— Baz got a punchy on a White Castle special last night — three nasty sliders.
— Wander Franco (right hamstring strain) reportedly had another good day yesterday, skipper Kevin Cash said. Franco will DH in an FCL game on Saturday and play shortstop on Monday. If all goes well, he will rejoin the big league squad next weekend after a brief rehab stint at Triple-A Durham.