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TNWN: Rays 6/14/19 pregame notes; potential timeline for Trop site decision

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  • Even though they rallied for three late runs on Thursday, the Rays came up short by a couple of runs, dropping the first game of the series to the Los Angeles Angels (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

After dropping the first game of a four-game series to the Angels, 5-3, on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays look to get back on the winning side of the ledger tonight. Tampa Bay has lost three straight at home and six of their last seven at Tropicana Field.

Even so, the Rays enter play 1/2 game behind the Yankees in the AL East since New York has dropped seven of ten overall. Tampa Bay is now 18-17 at home, which is just one game off last year’s total (19-16) at this point in the season. That team finished the season 51-30 at Tropicana Field.

The Rays announced that they will activate Joey Wendle (wrist fracture) from the Injured List (IL). It will be his first time in the lineup since April 24th, when Wendle was hit by a pitch in a home game against Kansas City. To make room for the infielder, Hunter Wood, who threw two scoreless frames last night, has been optioned to Triple-A Durham.

He’s really close. Joe Benge (Head athletic trainer) and our training staff kind of signed off on him. I think we’re looking toward (Friday) of potentially activating him, and then we’ll go from there.

— Kevin Cash

Going into Thursday, the Rays had allowed only 21 first-inning runs — the second-fewest in the majors. That number increased to 24 last night after a three-run first, however, that clearly is the exception, not the rule. It will be incumbent on Blake Snell to cool the Angels, who have won three consecutive games by the same margin, 5-3.

Outfielder Austin Meadows wasn’t in Thursday’s lineup fouling a ball off his shin on Tuesday. “No leg issue, just a day off,” said the Rays manager, who has watched Meadows go 0-11 in his previous 11 at-bats.

And as of right now, Anaheim’s bullpen is pretty much all (right-handed), so good chance we’ll see him at some point.

— Kevin Cash

It should be noted, Friday’s starter, Andrew Heaney, is a left-hander.

The New What Next

Blake Snell (4-5, 3.50 ERA) will start for Tampa Bay, pitching opposite of Andrew Heaney (0-1, 5.40 ERA).

Blake Snell allowed one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and one walk on Sunday. With this win, Snell bounced back from his last outing, where he yielded six runs. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner hasn’t pitched poorly over the last month (he’s posted a 2.88 ERA over his last seven outings), rather he hasn’t been given enough run support to win games regularly. He enters play with a 4-5 record and a 3.50 ERA, with a 1.10 WHIP, a .224 batting average against, and 98 strikeouts across 72 innings this season. Snell is 1-1 with a 2.82 ERA in two career starts against the Angels.

Andrew Heaney was tagged for five runs on six hits and two walks while striking out 10 over 5-2/3 innings. In just his third start since recovering from his elbow issues, Heaney punched out 10 batters for the second straight game. Skaggs retired the first eight batters before giving up a pair of singles and a walk in the fourth inning to knot the score at one apiece. Heaney then allowed a home run to Domingo Santana in the fifth inning and a three-run homer to Tom Murphy in the sixth to give Seattle a four-run lead. The 28-year-old now owns a 5.40 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 9.33 K/BB. Heaney relies primarily on a whiffy 93 mph sinker with little movement and a swing-and-miss 80 mph curveball. He is 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay. Key Matchups: Avisail Garcia (3-8, 2B, BB), Guillermo Heredia (3-11, 2B, RBI), Daniel Robertson (3-6, 2B, HR, 4 RBI)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness.

TNWN: Rays vs Angels — a series preview

Rays 6/14/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Garcia RF
  2. Pham DH
  3. Meadows LF
  4. Diaz 1B
  5. Adames SS
  6. Robertson 3B
  7. Wendle 2B
  8. Zunino C
  9. Heredia CF
  10. Snell LHP

Noteworthiness

— Ever conscious about the state of the economy, and when this current redevelopment bubble might break, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman told The St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership to “Look for something to happen (between the Rays and the City of St. Pete) sometime in the next year or so, one way or the other.”

Plans to redevelop the 86-acres the Trop sits on have been unpredictable for about six months, since the team scrapped their plan for a stadium in Ybor City.  The Trop site redevelopment plans will move forward whether or not the Rays wanted to keep playing at the location.

We’ve got 86 acres — or 70 if the stadium is still there — that we want to redevelop. We think it’s an incredible opportunity to redevelop. We’ve done a master plan with a stadium and without a stadium on it. We’re looking for a little bit of heads up from the team as to whether we should be talking to a potential master developer about redeveloping it with a stadium or without the stadium, but we want to get moving on it soon.

— Rick Kriseman

Discussions with Rays owner Stu Sternberg, who is in town this weekend, and team presidents Matt Silverman and Brian Auld about the future of the franchise continue to be had.

I’ve tried to make it clear to those guys that St. Petersburg is ready to be a partner. We still believe that this is the best city and that is the best location long-term for the team.

— Rick Kriseman

You can read about the mayor’s timeline over at St. Pete Catalyst (linked below)

St. Pete mayor suggests timetable for Trop site decision

The hot takes have been instantaneous:

LBWMF: Morton throws seven scoreless frames in Rays 6-2 win over Oakland

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  • The Rays walked away with sole possession of first place in the AL East last night after they defeated the Athletics, 6-2. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Charlie Morton continued his terrific stretch on the mound, while the Rays hit three home runs as they defeated the Athletics, 6-2. Tampa Bay has won six of the last seven games, and now sits a season-best 17 games above .500 (41-24) with sole possession of first place in the AL East — a half-game ahead of the Yankees.

Morton allowed just two hits (with a combined exit velocity of 121.7 mph) and two walks across seven scoreless innings. He struck out seven batters on an efficient 83 pitches (55 strikes, 66% strike rate).

Morton got into some trouble in the first and third innings before he dialed it in, and went on a stretch where he retired 14 batters in a row. In the first, the right-hander allowed a leadoff single to Marcus Semien and then hit Matt Olson with one out. However, CFM punched out both Khris Davis and Steven Piscotty to end the threat.

Then in the third inning, Semien singled while Matt Chapman and Olson walked with one out, loading the bases. Yet Morton struck out Davis and got an inning-ending grounder from Piscotty, silencing the home run hitting Athletics for the balance of his start.

From then on, Morton retired his final 14 batters…although he did get a little help from his friends. In the fifth inning, Tommy Pham leaped at the wall in left to rob Chapman of an extra-base hit.

Then in the seventh, Kevin Kiermaier took away extra bases from Jurickson Profar when he made another sensational leaping grab at the wall in center.

In two June starts, Morton has tossed 14 scoreless frames with a 7.5 K/BB. His season ERA is down to a sparkling 2.10, while his FIP sits at 2.66 across 81-1/3 frames.

On the other side of the rubber, Tanner Anderson kept the Rays in check over the first five innings, yet neither he nor the Athletics relievers could keep Tampa Bay down entirely. In the sixth inning, Anderson walked Austin Meadows to leadoff the frame. After Meadows moved into second on a Tommy Pham groundout, Brandon Lowe hit an opposite-field homer to left on a 1-0 pitch, breaking the deadlock.

It was Lowe’s 14th homer of the season, and his third in two days.

Then in the seventh inning, Yandy Diaz doubled to right off reliever Yusmeiro Petit. Two pitches later, Kiermaier homered to center, his eighth of the season, for a four-run lead.

Colin Poche took over in the eighth inning and pitched a perfect frame with a pair of strikeouts in his Tropicana Field debut. In the bottom of the inning, Avisail Garcia singled to left against Joakim Soria before Ji-Man Choi hit a 445-foot blast to right, capping the scoring for Tampa Bay.

I love you DeWayne and Dave, but I could listen to the Korean call of Choi’s homer all day on repeat.

Poche took the mound again in the ninth and gave up the dreaded late-inning leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Mark Canha before he coaxed a line drive out to left from Davis.

With a runner on and one out, Chaz Roe entered in relief and gave up a 1-1 run-scoring double to Piscotty, which was followed by an 0-1 run-scoring single to left from Robbie Grossman on a 93 mph fastball that caught too much plate. On the very next pitch, Roe got Ramón Laureano to line out to left, while Profar grounded out to second to end the game.

The Rays now have scored five or more runs in five of the last six games, and have hit 13 homers over that stretch, including three last night.

The New What Next

Game two of the series is on Tuesday night when the dynamic duo of opener Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.78 ERA) and bulk guy Jalen Beeks (5-0, 2.76 ERA) take the mound opposite of Mike Fiers (5-3, 4.76 ERA).

Ryne Stanek didn’t allow a run but walked three in 1-1/3 innings against the Red Sox in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday. Stanek has been especially impressive at home this season, allowing just two runs over 20 innings.

Jalen Beeks scattered four hits and no walks while striking out two across 4-1/3 scoreless innings on Thursday against the Tigers. The left-hander entered the game in the third inning after opener Ryne Stanek, and pitched effectively into the seventh, limiting the Tigers’ bats and allowing just one extra-base hit and three singles. Beeks has been effective in a bulk-relief role this season, punching out 45 with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP across 49 innings. As Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) wrote, the challenge will be that Oakland does extremely well against lefties, as their OPS before the series began was .858, second in the American League.

Mike Fiers held the Angels to three runs on seven hits and no walks with five strikeouts through six innings. Fiers bested the Halos for the second time this season, improving to a career 5-4 over 11 starts. Fiers did get himself into some trouble in the fourth inning by allowing three consecutive singles to load the bases. Brian Goodwin hit a sacrifice fly to get the Angels on the board. Fiers also surrendered a two-run shot to Mike Trout in the fifth inning, although the Angels could not inflict any other damage on the night. The 33-year-old had been reliable of late, allowing three runs or fewer over eight consecutive starts. He’ll carry a 4.78 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 2.58 K/BB into his start on Tuesday. Fiers relies primarily on a 91 mph four-seam fastball with added backspin, while also mixing in a 74 mph curveball with “slurve” movement, an 87 mph cutter, an 85 mph changeup with fade and sink, and a whiffy 90 mph sinker. He is 1-2 with a 5.34 ERA in five career starts against the Rays. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (1-1, HR, RBI, BB), Avaisail Garcia (4-8, 2B), Guillermo Heredia (1-1, 3B), Kevin Kiermaier (2-8), Mike Zunino (2-8, 2B)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs Athletics — a series preview

Rays 6/11/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Meadows DH
  2. Pham LF
  3. B. Lowe 2B
  4. Diaz 3B
  5. Choi 1B
  6. Adames SS
  7. Kiermaier CF
  8. Zunino C
  9. Heredia RF
  10. Stanek Opener

Noteworthiness

— Joey Wendle went 1-for-4 with a walk in his latest rehab game with Triple-A Durham. Even though Rays manager Kevin Cash said “there’s not a time frame” for Wendle’s return, he also said, “we’d certainly like to see him at some point on this homestand.”

— Brent Honeywell underwent surgery Monday after fracturing the right medial epicondyle bone in his elbow on Saturday, ending his hopes to return this season from February 2018 Tommy John surgery.

The team got what sounds like good news from Dr. James Andrews, who repaired the fracture: there was no damage to the repaired ligament. If the all goes as planned, Honeywell can start throwing again in January.

— Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (forearm strain) said everything “feels good and is “coming along according to schedule.” Glasnow is throwing at 75 feet and will soon progress to 90 and then likely get back on the mound. He is eligible to return after the All-Star break.

— Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) Jose Alvarado remains on the unpaid restricted list dealing with an undisclosed family matter in Venezuela, now not likely to return until later in the week.

TNWN: Rays 6/8/19 doubleheader pregame notes

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  • Right-hander Casey Sadler was recalled from Triple-A Durham to give the Rays some length during Saturday’s doubleheader in Boston. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

5:00 Update below.

After an impressive 5-1 win over the Red Sox, in which Yonny Chirinos was dominant across eight strong innings, the Tampa Bay Rays will play a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park today. Tampa Bay has won three consecutive games against Boston — all on the road — and are 21-9 on the road this season, an MLB best.

Chirinos limited the Red Sox to just two hits and two walks over eight scoreless frames. He struck out six. The right-hander was perfect through the front five innings (15 batters) before walking Brock Holt to lead off the sixth. After loading the bases, Chirinos struck out Andrew Benintendi looking on a 96 mph sinker and got Rafael Devers to swing through an 87 mph splitter to end the threat.

Chirinos was difficult to square up, as he coaxed 12 weakly hit ground balls from Boston’s aggressive lineup. The right-hander was denied a shot at his first career big-league shutout and complete game due to an elevated pitch count and was pulled in favor of Emilio Pagan after throwing 101 pitches (62 strikes, 61% strike rate). He now carries a 2.87 ERA and a 4.23 K/BB across 69 innings of work.

The challenge will be for the Rays’ pitching staff to use Chirinos’ start as a template against one of the best hitting lineups in baseball. With Morton’s seven-inning start on Thursday, and Chirinos’ deep start last night, the bullpen should be well-rested.

As Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) wrote, because this is a doubleheader that was announced more than 24 hours in advance, each team has a 26th man all day. Austin Pruitt, who threw 84 pitches his last time out one week ago, is the 26th man for the Rays. In addition, Casey Sadler, who threw 56 pitches his last appearance, was called up yesterday and also is stretched out.

The New What Next

Ryan Yarbrough (4-2, 6.23 ERA) will start for the Rays in game one, pitching opposite of southpaw Josh Smith (0-1, 4.91 ERA).

Ryan Yarbrough fell on the sword for the Rays bullpen on Sunday, allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out four across seven innings against the Twins. Yarbrough was hit hard throughout the middle of his start, with all of his earned runs coming in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. He didn’t allow a home run, yet the left-hander gave up a bases-clearing double to C.J. Cron which accounted for three of his seven charged runs. Yarbrough is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in six games (one start) against the Red Sox, and 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in 8.0 total innings of work at Fenway Park.

Josh Smith will make his second start of the season for the Red Sox. Smith fanned 11 across five innings in his last start for Triple-A Pawtucket on June 3rd.

In game two, the Rays will call on RHP Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.88 ERA) to open the game. It is likely that Austin Pruitt and Colin Poche (more on his call up below) will throw at some point. They will pitch opposite of former Ray David Price (3-2, 2.83 ERA).

David Price held the Yankees to two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out six across 6-1/3 innings of work on Sunday. The former Ray blanked New York over the first three frames before a fourth-inning wobble, when the southpaw gave up a home run to Luke Voit, followed by three consecutive singles to load the bases. Gio Urshela followed with a sacrifice fly to score Gary Sanchez, allowing New York to cut the deficit to one run. Price was able to limit the damage when Aaron Hicks got caught stealing home for the final out of the frame. In spite of the messy inning, he looked sharp overall. He carries a 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 4.92 K/BB into his matchup against Tampa Bay. Price is 5-5 with a 3.26 ERA in 15 starts against the Rays. Key Matchups: Christian Arroyo (1-4), Yandy Diaz (3-7, HR, RBI, BB), Kevin Kiermaier (6-21, 2 2B, HR, RBI, BB)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineups for both games (among other things) will be added as the day progresses.

TNWN: Rays vs Red Sox — part three

Rays 6/8/19 Starting Lineup (game one)

  1. Meadows RF
  2. Pham LF
  3. Lowe 2B
  4. Garcia DH
  5. Choi 1B
  6. Diaz 3B
  7. Kiermaier CF
  8. Adames SS
  9. d’Arnaud C
  10. Yarbrough LHP

Rays 6/8/19 Starting Lineup (game two)

  1. Robertson 2B
  2. Diaz 1B
  3. Meadows DH
  4. Garcia RF
  5. Adames SS
  6. Zunino C
  7. Kiermaier CF
  8. Arroyo 3B
  9. Heredia LF
  10. Stanek Opener

Noteworthiness

— Tommy Pham exited the first game with a right wrist contusion after being hit by a pitch in the second inning. X-Rays on the injury came back negative, and he is eligible in the second game of today’s doubleheader even though he is not in the lineup.

— Following the first game of the doubleheader, the Rays optioned RHP Casey Sadler back to Triple-A Durham and recalled LHP Collin Poche, who was added to open spot on 40-man roster vacated by the DFA of Erik Kratz.

Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) Poche tried to get from the team hotel to Fenway Park toward the end of the first game. He was stuck in traffic in an, so he got out and walked about a mile carrying his team bag. Got a few odd looks, but no one said anything. “Couldn’t be late on the first day,” Poche said.

— The Rays have now won five straight over the Red Sox in Fenway, the longest streak in franchise history.

— After homering in his first game for advanced Class-A Charlotte Stone Crabs on Thursday, Joey Wendle (fractured right wrist) will take his rehab to Triple-A Durham. Rays manager Kevin Cash said, “He’s getting closer (to returning). We’ll continue to see how he feels day by day coming in and the different type of swings that he’ll take in some of those games.” It is likely that either Christian Arroyo or Daniel Robertson will be sent down when Wendle returns.

— Good on the Rays for packaging a tandem of Rays and Rowdies games next Saturday. $30 is a pretty darn good deal for a pair of games.

LBWMF: Rays snap four-game skid, blank Tigers 4-0

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Charlie Morton was dominant across seven innings on Wednesday.

Charlie Morton came up big Wednesday night, throwing seven shutout innings on just 83 pitches (55 strikes, 66% strike rate) against Detroit. The Tampa Bay Rays were able to snap their four-game losing skid with a 4-0 shutout against the Tigers.

Morton scattered five hits while striking out eight and walking none, and only allowed one runner to get as far as third base, which came in the fourth inning.

Brandon Dixon singled to right with two outs, then went to third on a base hit to right-center by Harold Castro. Castro swiped second but Morton struck out John Hicks looking to end the threat. Interestingly enough, 16 of the 21 runs allowed by Morton came with two outs, so there was a strong possibility that this particular threat could have ended miserably, yet Morton — staked to just a one-run lead — came up big when he was needed to.

The right-hander now has delivered three consecutive quality starts, seven on the season, while working to a 2.30 ERA and a 3.37 K/BB across 74-1/3 innings.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay got on the board in the third inning when Austin Meadows tripled to center off Spencer Turnbull and scored on an errant relay throw by second baseman Castro — otherwise known as a Little League home run (the second for the Rays in as many weeks).

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsFL/status/1136419637481025536

They threatened to put a crooked number on the board in the inning after Yandy Diaz hit a hard single off the wall in right, and Brandon Lowe was hit by a pitch. However, Avisail Garcia struck out and Willy Adames grounded out to end to the threat. The Rays went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position overall.

Even so, the Rays were able to add to their lead in the fifth inning after Diaz worked a one-out walk and Garcia drove him home on a two-out RBI double to left field. Ji-Man Choi followed by lining an RBI single to center — the only wRISP hit — scoring Garcia and putting the Rays up by three.

Tampa Bay capped the scoring in the eighth inning on Detroit’s fourth error of the game. With runners on first and second, Castro threw wide of first as he tried to complete a routine double play on a ball hit by Diaz. That allowed pinch-runner Guillermo Heredia to score an insurance run.

Oliver Drake took over for Morton in the eighth inning and completed the shutout by throwing two scoreless frames while striking out one.

The New What Next

The Rays look to win two of three with opener Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.78 ERA) on the mound. He will be followed by left-hander Jalen Beeks (4-0, 3.02 ERA). They will be opposed by Daniel Norris (2-4, 4.58 ERA) for Detroit.

Ryne Stanek hasn’t pitched since he allowed one run on four hits over two innings in Friday’s loss to the Twins. Still, the 27-year-old has a 1.73 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and a 5.8 K/BB across 26 innings in the opening role this season.

Jalen Beeks allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three across 3-1/3 innings on Friday. Beeks cruised through his first two innings of work before getting roughed up in the fifth, yielding two runs on a pair of hits. Still, the 25-year-old southpaw has been solid out of the bulk inning role this season, posting a 3.02 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 44-2/3 innings of work.

Daniel Norris allowed six runs (five earned) across 5-1/3 innings on Saturday. He fanned four and walked two. Norris kept Atlanta off the board for the first three innings before he allowed two runs in each of the next two frames. He carries a 4.58 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 2.8 K/BB into the series finale on Thursday. He relies primarily on a 91 mph four-seam fastball, and an 84 mph slider with short glove-side cut, while also mixing in a whiffy 85 mph changeup that dives down out of the zone, a whiffy 91 mph sinker, and a 77 mph curveball with exceptional bite. Norris is 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in four career starts against Tampa Bay. Key Matchups: Avisail Garcia (2-8, 2 BB), Guillermo Heredia (5-8, HR, 3 RBI), Kevin Kiermaier (1-2, RBI), Daniel Robertson (2-5, 2 RBI, BB)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noeworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs Tigers — a series preview

Rays 6/6/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Diaz 1B
  2. Pham DH
  3. Meadows LF
  4. Garcia RF
  5. Adames SS
  6. Arroyo 3B
  7. Kiermaier CF
  8. d’Arnaud C
  9. Robertson 2B
  10. Stanek Opener

Noteworthiness

— Joey Wendle (fractured wrist) will likely play his first rehab game for the Charlotte Stone Crabs today. Wendle should be able to rejoin the Rays during the upcoming homestand.

— Michael Perez was the DH for the Stone Crabs in his first rehab game yesterday.

LBWMF: Rays look to snap skid tonight; $5.00 ticket deal

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Miguel Cabrera helped the Detroit Tigers snap their home game losing skid on Tuesday. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

After a disappointing 9-6 loss in Detroit on Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Rays look to bounce back against the Tigers tonight. Tampa Bay has now lost four consecutive games for just the second time this season. Along the way, they have allowed five runs or more in each of the last four ballgames (29 runs overall).

We’re in a rough stretch right now. We’re not playing very good baseball. We’re not giving ourselves the best chance to go out there. From offense to defense to pitching. All of it.

— Kevin Cash

The spate of poor play has coincided with Tommy Pham not being in the lineup. Per Neil Solondz (Rays Radio), the Rays since acquiring Pham last year are 61-31 when he plays.

Tampa Bay did get Avisail Garcia back yesterday, and he responded by hitting a two-run homer to right.

In the eighth inning, Willy Adames got the Rays back in the ballgame with a plus-420 foot grand slam to center — his first career grand slam, and his fifth homer of the season.

I feel like I’m getting my timing back. Just trying to help the team to win.

— Willy Adames

Still, the run production wasn’t enough to compensate for a bad start by Blake Snell.

Snell allowed a run in the first inning, yet it appeared that he had settled in after escaping a two-on, one-out jam in the second. The left-hander struck out eight and continued to pound the strike zone (65 of his 95 pitches landed for strikes, 68% strike rate), but the Tigers started a rally in the fifth inning with three consecutive one-out hits which were followed by a walk. Miguel Cabrera capped the inning with a grand slam, knocking Snell out of the game.

It was the was first time the Rays hit and allowed grand slam in same game since September 25, 2007 versus the Yankees (Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Velandia).

Moving forward, it is possible that Pham could return to the lineup from what has been described as a minimal calf strain which was initially said to be a cramp.

He was much better (Tuesday). Tommy’s chomping at the bit wanting to play. We need to be responsible. … We’ve had our issues with calf injuries in the past and they’re a little tricky and the last thing we want to do is re-aggravate it. … He still feels it a little bit.

— Kevin Cash

If not today, he should be in the lineup tomorrow.

The New What Next

Charlie Morton (6-0, 2.54 ERA) will start for the Rays tonight, pitching opposite of Spencer Turnbull (3-4, 2.84 ERA).

Charlie Morton had more than enough run support on Thursday, and he responded by allowing two runs on four hits and no walks across seven innings on an efficient 87 pitches (62 strikes, 71% strike rate). He struck out six. Morton pitched to the minimum, allowing just one hit across the first four frames before the Twins got on the board in the fifth inning on a two-out single by Ehire Adrianza. Minnesota pushed across another run in the sixth inning on Max Kepler’s groundout. Morton likely could have gone deeper into the game, although the lopsided score allowed Kevin Cash to give Adam Kolarek and Oliver Drake a little work in the eighth and ninth innings. Consecutive quality starts have Morton’s ERA at an excellent 2.54 heading into his next scheduled start against Detroit.

Spencer Turnbull allowed one run on five hits and a walk while striking out two over six innings on Friday. Turnbull surrendered his only run of the night in the third inning on a groundout to short, and it was smooth sailing from there. Following Friday’s impressive start, Turnbull sports a 2.84 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with a 2.91 K/BB through 66-2/3 innings this season. He relies primarily on a whiffy 94 mph four-seam fastball with heavy sinking action, and a hard 87 mph worm-killer slider with two-plane movement, while also mixing in a 95 mph sinker with natural sinking action, and an 80 mph curveball with sharp downward bite. Turnbull has never faced the Rays.

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs Tigers — a series preview

Rays 6/5/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Meadows LF
  2. Diaz 3B
  3. B. Lowe RF
  4. Garcia DH
  5. Choi 1B
  6. Adames SS
  7. Kiermaier CF
  8. Zunino C
  9. Arroyo 2B
  10. Morton RHP

Noteworthiness

— Joey Wendle (broken wrist) worked out with the Charlotte Stone Crabs yesterday and could play in his first rehab game today. Wendle is likely about a week or so away.

— Michael Perez (oblique) started his rehab assignment with the Stone Crabs on Tuesday and will be there “for a little bit,’’ said Kevin Cash.

He still feels it, he’s trying to manage it.

— Kevin Cash

— The Rays’ flash sale of $5.00 tickets will continue through 11:59 p.m. Thursday. They can be purchased at raysbaseball.com/specials. The sale, which launched Tuesday morning, includes 5,000 tickets for June 10-12 series against the Athletics and the June 13-14 ballgames against the Angels. As of writing, the $5.00 tickets for 6/14 game are sold out, however, tickets remain for the other games.