The Tampa Bay Rays welcome back Chris Archer Saturday
The Tampa Bay Rays welcome back Chris Archer Saturday

The red hot Tampa Bay Rays will take the show on the road for eight days, starting Friday. First stop: Cleveland, OH.

The Rays have made up an enormous amount of ground in the AL East — five games to be exact — in the last week, and they’ll attempt to take the series from the 29-24 Indians. The Tribe has struggled lately, having won only three of their last 10 games. However, Cleveland is 17-10 at home and has won their last two games. Furthermore, they’ve won 15 of their last 19 at home, outscoring opponents 105-64. All this is to say, it won’t be easy. Saturday marks the 2013 debut of Chris Archer, who is filling the void left in the wake of David Price’s DL stint.

Rays and Indians series starters
Rays and Indians series starters
Rays and Indians offensive production at home, away, and over the last 14 days
Rays and Indians offensive production at home, away, and over the last 14 days
Rays and Indians by the numbers
Rays and Indians by the numbers

Corey Kluber: Per Rotowire, “Kluber gave up three earned runs on eight hits while striking out eight and walking none in 6.1 innings against the Tigers on Tuesday.” Kluber is coming off his finest outing of the season. The crack reporters at Lets Go Tribe found,

“In AAA last season Kluber struck out more than 9 a game and walked 3.5 and gave up only .6 HR per game, all in 125.1 IP. Then Kluber made 12 starts at the major league level with Cleveland and put up an ugly 5.14 ERA in 63IP. But if we look beyond the ERA we see the following peripheral numbers: 7.7 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, and 1.3 HR/9. Now the home runs are a bit concerning, but in 63 IP, none of these numbers are exceptionally stable, and specifically homeruns with a slightly high 13.4% HR/FB%. But, it is hard not to see that 3.00 K/BB and not see some potential. As mentioned recently about the Brett Myers signing and Myers’ issues with the long ball, Progressive Field tends to suppress homeruns and is in general a pitchers park. A guy like Kluber, may be able to perform at a decent level at the major league level if his homeruns against is cushioned and he can keep up a healthy K rate around 7 and walk rate below 3. In fact he could easily find himself as a strong mid to back end of the rotation arm based on something like that.”

Ubaldo Jimenez: Per Rotowire, “Jimenez held the Reds to two runs on four hits and four walks Monday, striking out six over seven innings of work, but did not factor into the decision in the Indians 4-2 loss.” Jimenez is 1-1 against Tampa Bay (over the last three seasons) with a 5.40 ERA in 11.2 total innings of work. In that time, the Rays have been able to tag Ubaldo with seven runs (all earned) on 12 hits — including a pair of homers — and six walks. Posting a combined .270 BA/.387 OBP/.444 SLG/.831 OPS slash line, the Rays will look to continue their success against Jimenez Saturday. Key match-ups: Yunel Escobar (6-16, HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB), Kelly Johnson (8-30, 4 2B, RBI, 9 BB), Evan Longoria (1-3), Jose Molina (2-4), Ryan Roberts (2-6), Luke Scott (3-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI), Ben Zobrist (2-7, 2B, 2 BB).

Zach McAllister: Per Rotowire, “McAllister gave up three earned runs on 10 hits and one walk in 5.1 innings while striking out six Tuesday against the Reds.” McAllister hasn’t surrendered more than three earned runs in an outing all year. He allowed a season-high four runs (two earned) in a loss against the Rays on April 5, striking out three without a walk over six innings. Key match-ups: Sam Fuld (2-3), Jose Lobaton (1-3, 2B, BB), Evan Longoria (1-3), Luke Scott (2-6, 2B, 2 RBI), Ben Zobrist (2-8, 2 2B, 3 RBI, BB).

Noteworthiness

  • Matt Moore will make his second bid to become the first nine-game winner in the major leagues, Friday night. The Rays LHP could become the first pitcher since Ubaldo Jimenez in 2010 with Colorado to win nine games before June 1. Moore will try to help Tampa Bay match a season high with a sixth consecutive victory.
  • The last time Moore faced the Indians, he struck out eight in a 4-0 home win. He yielded two hits – both to Michael Bourn – in six innings.
  • Per Yahoo Sports, “The Indians have again rebounded from a rough stretch at the plate, totaling 12 runs and 20 hits in back-to-back victories after scoring 14 runs during a season-high five-game skid. In a 7-1 victory over Cincinnati on Thursday, Cleveland plated all of its runs with two outs in the fourth inning.”
  • Evan Longoria has recorded 12 doubles in May, two shy of the club record for any month set by Ben Grieve in June 2002.
  • The Rays have won seven of their last nine away from Tropicana Field. The bullpen has improved, and Matt Joyce is 13-for-35 with three homers and 10 RBIs in his last 10 contests.

We’ll post more shortly.

 

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