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LBWMF: Rays are 1-1 in the 2021 Knutson Cup Challenge after defeating the Twins on Thursday, 5-2

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Ji-Man Choi went 1-2 with a walk and a run on Thursday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays evened up their 2021 Knutson Cup record to 1-1 on the season when they defeated the Minnesota Twins, 5-2, in Port Charlotte. Ryan Yarbrough and Luis Patiño — who made his Rays debut — teamed up for a pair of scoreless frames, while Tampa Bay scored four of their five runs on outs, thus doing a good job moving the ball.

Yarbrough got the start and allowed a two-out walk to Jorge Polanco before he punched out Miguel Sano on three pitches. As with live batting practice, the left-hander threw to newcomer Francisco Mejía, who also collected a hit and an RBI.

Obviously, different intensity facing a different team. When you face your own hitters there’s some semblance of it, but it’s kind of up a notch when you get to live games.

— Ryan Yarbrough

Rays manager Kevin Cash said aside from the walk, Yarbrough looked sharp.

Nice to see one of our guys start the buildup. He was kidding that he walked a guy — normally doesn’t walk too many guys — so I’m sure he’s got plenty of reps to fine-tune that. But he looks really crisp.

— Kevin Cash

Patiño followed Yarbrough and, well … threw gas.

It’s a good feeling. I got to pitch for the first time with a Rays jersey. I feel excited. I feel happy to do my job and come in here to do my job and help the team. I’m feeling very happy to be here.

— Luis Patiño

The right-hander gave up some loud contact, yet he threw seven of his 10 pitches for strikes and boasted a 94-96 mph fastball to go along with a slider and a couple of changeups.

Mejía, who was a teammate with Patiño in San Diego, said he thought Patiño pitched with control and confidence on Thursday.

I don’t think he’s really changed too much. I just think coming here helped him with his confidence and allows him to just be the guy he wants to be.

— Francisco Mejía

Cash was pleased with Patiño’s ability to throw strikes, which has been a focal point for Tampa Bay this Spring. Patiño coaxed three swinging strikes on Thursday with “rising” fastballs at the top of the zone.

Yeah, 95- to 100-(mph fastballs), whatever it is on that given day, that’s going to be just fine.

— Kevin Cash

Mejía caught four innings and pulled a 99.9 mph single to right off of Hansel Robles. The Rays expect Mejía to rediscover the form at the plate that made him a highly-touted prospect. So far, he has received strong reviews from the established hurlers that have worked with him.

We’ve already started to get on point, get some chemistry going. I feel like he’s a great target behind the plate, especially for me with how I throw, so I’m looking forward to throwing to him a lot this year.

— Ryan Yarbrough

Ji-Man Choi got the start at first for the first time this Spring and went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run. Choi sat out the last few days due to a sore knee and made his Spring debut as the Rays’ DH on Wednesday. Per Cash, he’s progressing without any restrictions.

Just took a few days off, but he’ll be right back into the routine, the schedule of getting in the flow with the rest of the first basemen.

— Kevin Cash

The New What Next

The Rays will visit the Red Sox in Fort Myers for the second time in three days, on Friday. Rich Hill will make his Rays’ debut and will be followed by Joe Ryan, Drew Strotman, Ryan Sherriff, and Ryan Thompson (in no specific order). I will update this piece with the starting lineup upon availability.

Rays 3/5/21 Starting Lineup

  1. Wendle SS
  2. Mejía DH
  3. B. Lowe 2B
  4. Brosseau 3B
  5. Phillips CF
  6. Smith C
  7. Gomez LF
  8. Whitley RF
  9. Gray 1B
  10. Hill LHP

Noteworthiness

— Chris Archer is slated to pitch on Saturday morning in an intrasquad game, while Tyler Glasnow scheduled to start a contest that afternoon against the Braves. If it rains on Saturday, Archer could instead start on Sunday. Collin McHugh is expected to throw one last batting practice session before appearing in games.

— Speaking of Archer, it would appear that the right-hander is refining his changeup which, ideally, would keep batters off his fastball. The other day, Archer posted a video overlay of his fastball and changeup on Instagram. I got to talk with the hurler about the pitch, which I initially thought was a slider. However, he confirmed the offspeed pitch was, indeed, a changeup with two-plane movement. It will be interesting to see how much he utilizes the offering during Grapefruit League contests.

— Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (hip tightness) is scheduled to make his Spring debut on Tuesday, in Port Charlotte.

LBWMF: McClanahan and Fleming in their Spring debuts, Franco and Meadows hit moon-shots

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Wander Franco hit a massive home run to right-field on Wednesday, in Port Charlotte. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Wander Franco and Austin Meadows went yard on Wednesday, while Josh Fleming, Shane McClanahan, and a handful of others limited Pittsburgh to just a run as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Pirates, 4-1, in Port Charlotte.

Rays skipper Kevin Cash said it was the best-pitched contests of the Spring, as six pitchers threw an inning apiece, and gave up just one run and a walk with five strikeouts. However, a pair of hurlers — McClanahan and Fleming — were stellar. The former threw 10 pitches (eight strikes) in a scoreless first, boasting a nasty slider and hitting 101 mph on the in-house radar gun.

There was also a lot of strikes, which I’m more happy about. I’ve been feeling good. The guys here put me in a good position to be healthy and to be ready to compete, day in and day out, so I think that’s just the result of being prepared.

— Shane McClanahan

Fleming followed McClanahan and quickly worked a clean frame, coaxing a popout and a groundout, and punching out a batter while leaning on a sinker full of verticle movement.

They were coming out swinging the bat, being ultra-aggressive, but he was able to throw that sinker into lefties and jam them,” catcher Mike Zunino said. “He naturally fills the strike zone up but misses barrels. We’re right where he left last season, which is a great spot.

— Mike Zunino

Cash said both McClanahan and Fleming will be built up as starters this Spring and are “very much in the mix” to play roles with the big league squad this season.

Those aren’t fun at-bats. When you’ve that kind of movement or that kind of velocity behind it. They both get there different ways but they’re both very talented and they’re going to play big roles for us.

— Kevin Cash

Hunter Strickland, Andrew Kittredge, Jeffrey Springs, and Joey Krehbiel followed the above-mentioned duo.

Meanwhile, Franco hit a mammoth homer on the first pitch of the second inning that either hit off the top of the office building beyond the walkway in right-field or completely cleared it — no one is entirely sure, including Franco.

That one went into the parking lot, I think. Everyone’s saying that it went over the building. I didn’t see it.

— Wander Franco, through team translator Manny Navarro

Wherever it landed, the number one prospect in baseball said he couldn’t recall ever hitting a ball that far in a ball-game.

Meadows drove in the Rays’ final two runs of the contest on a two-run moon-shot to right-center, landing on the bottom of the aforementioned building.

Middle infielder Vidal Brujan proved his utility worth by making his first start with Tampa Bay in centerfield. Cash noted that they would have explored the possibility of testing Brujan’s flexibility last season, however, the pandemic prevented that.

He’s a pretty electric player. Physically with the speed, the arm, all of those things. We all know how much we value versatility. To have a guy that can come in and play center field, shortstop, second base, that’s pretty special.

— Kevin Cash

A sign of things to come? Brujan was excited about the opportunity to play in the outfield, something he hopes to continue in the future.

Mentally I was able to get a lot more calm and a lot more relaxed. Especially being around a lot more veteran players and some more guys in the big leagues. When I was around in the playoffs and all that, it helped me get a little more experience and learn a lot more. … Hopefully I can be the next Kiermaier, or even better,” said Brujan through Navarro.

— Vidal Brujan, through team translator Manny Navarro

The New What Next

The Rays look to avenge their loss to the Twins when they head to Ft. Myers on Thursday. Ryan Yarbrough and Luis Patino are scheduled to pitch, and I’ll update this piece with the other hurlers that are slated take the mound.

Rays 3/4/21 Starting Lineup

TBA

Noteworthiness

— Ji-Man Choi is scheduled to play his first game of the Spring at first base.

LBWMF: Glasnow hits the century mark in his first Spring start, while Joey Wendle avoided serious injury

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Tyler Glasnow leaned heavily on his triple-digit fastball on Monday.

Tyler Glasnow hit the century mark with his fastball in his first start of the Spring, while Joey Wendle avoided injury on Monday, as the Tampa Bay Rays fell to 0-1 in the 2021 Knutson Cup, losing to the Minnesota Twins, 6-5.

Wendle walked off the field with just a facial contusion after he was beaned in the helmet by a Lewis Thorpe fastball in the first inning. After he was hit, the infielder stumbled out of the batter’s box and doubled over near the dugout, where he was checked by manager Kevin Cash and the Rays training staff. Wendle said he was checked over again after he exited the game and doesn’t have any further testing scheduled.

It was pretty close. Probably more scary than anything. I wasn’t sure immediately where it had hit, but I’m pretty confident it got all helmet and then the helmet just kind of whacked my face pretty good. But everything feels good, thankfully. … There’s nothing too tender. It just kind of feels like I got punched, not necessarily got hit by a baseball, so I’ll take the former of those two. Everything feels fine. Might have some bruising or might not, but overall, I think I lucked out big time. … Thankful, honestly. It was a close call, and (I’m) glad it was nothing more.

— Joey Wendle

Rays manager Kevin Cash said that Wendle was already scheduled to sit out Tuesday’s contest, and if he’s cleared to play Wednesday, he’ll return to the lineup against the Pirates. He was thankful that they, presumably, avoided the worst possible outcome.

We were all scared. Hopefully, we avoided something. We’ll check on him this afternoon, throughout the day, throughout the night. But Joe popped back down after Joey went up and said that he thinks he’s going to be all right.

— Kevin Cash

Meanwhile, Glasnow hit triple digits four times in a 10-pitch first inning, including seven strikes. Then in the second, he allowed a first-pitch home run to Brent Rooker and got the next two outs before he walked three of his final four batters. Overall, he was charged with two runs on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts across 1-2/3 frames. Most of his pitches were close, throwing 20 of 35 pitches for strikes (57% strike rate). He was pleased by his first outing of the Spring.

I’m a relatively slow starter. I just think it’s more of getting a rhythm and getting back to that competition aspect. It was honestly just really good to be out there again, to feel that again and then kind of figure out what you need to build on and then just go out and do it again in five, six days. … I think especially for the first one of Spring as long as I can go out and like have some good quality reps I’m good to go. Second inning didn’t go as planned but I feel very good, and I’m happy with where I am right now.

— Tyler Glasnow

Glasnow mostly threw heaters against the Twins, although he also mixed in three curveballs, a 92-mph changeup (taken for a called strike), and a few of the cutter/slider breaking pitch he’s been working on, which clocked in around 86-87 mph. The right-hander said that he doesn’t need his new toy to be “devastating” per se, rather he was pleased by the shape, velocity, and that he could throw it for strikes.

Cash mimicked those thoughts, saying:

I know he’s pretty excited about it, and he should be because he feels like he can land that pitch (for strikes) fairly consistently,. With Glas, it’s a lot of fastballs at the top of the zone [and] featuring that snap curveball right off that fastball. … A slider has a little bit more shape, a little bit more tilt to it, and something that he can harness in the zone a little bit better.

— Kevin Cash

The New What Next

Michael Wacha will get the start on Tuesday against Boston. Right-handers Odom, Gomez and Hunt, and southpaws Gray, Quroz, Lukes, Boldt, and Mastrobuoni are also available to pitch in relief of Wacha.

Rays 3/2/21 Starting Lineup

  1. Adames SS
  2. Mejia C
  3. Arozarena LF
  4. Franco DH
  5. Margot RF
  6. Phillips CF
  7. Walls 2B
  8. Padlo 3B
  9. Kelly 1B
  10. Wacha RHP

Noteworthiness

— Because they will play a nine-inning contest which will air on ESPN Tuesday afternoon, Monday’s game was called after six innings at the Rays’ request.

— Right-hander Chris Archer and southpaws Rich Hill and Cody Reed faced hitters in live batting practice on Sunday. Archer’s fastball velocity (clocking in between 91-94 mph) and the slider were both where the team expected them to be. Meanwhile, Hill spun his breaking balls from different arm angles.

Cash said while they all looked “totally game-ready,” they could throw one more live batting practice session before getting into Grapefruit League games. All three are on different timelines in order to be ready for Opening Day.

— Ji-Man Choi (right knee soreness) is expected to DH on Wednesday and if all goes well, would do the same on Thursday.

Kevin Kiermaier (hip tightness) took batting practice on Monday and will take live batting practice again on Tuesday. He was also in centerfield for pre-game cut-off/relay drills. Hitting coach Chad Mottola said the team was “probably going a little slow intentionally.”

Rather be sure than test it, and we have to protect him against himself sometimes. There’s plenty of time left. Six weeks (of Spring Training])is for the pitchers. It’s not for the hitters. … As far as functional movement, yeah, he’s full-go.

— Chad Mottola

LBWMF: Rays defeat Atlanta in Spring opener, 9-7

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Was there any doubt that Randy Arozarena would collect the Rays’ first hit of the Spring? (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays hit three home runs, including a walk-off blast, to carry them to victory in the Grapefruit League opener over Atlanta on Sunday, 9-7.

The Rays put runners on the corners in the first inning after Randy Arozarena collected the team’s first hit of the Spring. Yet nothing came of the threat. Meanwhile, Atlanta put the first tally on the board against non-roster invitee Hunter Strickland.

Yet, Austin Meadows came up big in the second inning when he hit a line-drive homer to right-center, capping a four-run frame. This came after Willy Adames and Manuel Margot went back-to-back with doubles.

That’s encouraging, just the competitive mode of us being able to come out early, especially the first game, and put as many barrels on the ball as we did. It’s definitely encouraging, so it was good to see.

— Austin Meadows

The very next inning, Mike Brosseau welcomed southpaw Sean Newcomb into the game with a solo shot.

Farmhand Tristan Gray entered the game to play first and hit a two-run triple to right-center in the fifth for a 7-5 lead.

Gray also homered to break a tie in the seventh and final frame of the game. As Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) noted, “Gray hit 17 homers with Double-A Montgomery in 2019. Gray was in Spring Training with the Rays but was sidelined after breaking his hamate bone against the Twins.”

This was pretty crazy. I’m still feeling the butterflies and all from all this, but it’s been great. I was telling Ryan Boldt when we were sitting there: It may have been a long time, but whenever you get back into things, it feels so familiar. So it’s great, man. I am just excited to be here. And obviously having a day like today is a plus.

— Tristan Gray

On the mound, Tampa Bay had seven different pitchers throw an inning. Chris Ellis worked around a pair of leadoff walks in a scoreless first, while, Joey Krehbiel — the only other hurler to throw a scoreless inning of work — struck out the side in the sixth inning, which came after the starters had departed.

The New What Next

Tyler Glasnow will start for Tampa Bay at home on Monday against the Twins. Also expected to pitch are left-handers Dietrich Enns, Brian Moran, and Kenny Rosenberg, and right-handers Trevor Richards, Tyler Zombro, and Louis Head. Given that the Rays will play Boston eight times in the Spring, Kevin Cash will have to adjust the schedule so a starting pitcher doesn’t face them four times in those eight games.

Rays 3/1/21 Starting Lineup

  1. Meadows
  2. Tsutsugo
  3. Zunino
  4. Wendle
  5. Diaz
  6. Phillips
  7. Brosseau
  8. Walls
  9. J. Lowe
  10. Glasnow RHP

Noteworthiness

— After playing left field with Tampa Bay last season, Rays skipper Kevin Cash said Randy Arozarena will play all three outfield positions this Spring. Arozarena, who played in right on Sunday, will play in left when the Rays play at JetBlue Park at Fenway South, for example, so he can get used to playing in front of the Green Monster.

We’ll kind of take stadium factors in. If there’s some similarities to some of the ballparks we’re going into, let him see different balls off the bat in those parks. I know Fenway really sticks out.

— Kevin Cash

— Per Erik Neander, Chris Archer threw a live batting practice session on Sunday, and clocked in at 91-94 mph with his fastball. His slider reportedly looked sharp as well.

LBWMF: Rays on the brink of elimination after falling 4-2

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Kiermaier needed to put the ball in play in the fourth inning, yet he did so in the ninth. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Tyler Glasnow needed to put together an elite performance on Sunday, yet the right-hander was pulled after four runs and five innings. And while the Tampa Bay Rays put together good at-bats against Clayton Kershaw, they couldn’t catch up to the Dodgers, who took a first-inning lead and never looked back. When all was said and done, Kershaw and the ‘pen led the Dodgers to a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay in the fifth game of the 2020 World Series.

One shouldn’t question Glasnow’s stuff. Put simply, his fastball and curveball are elite. However, what could be questioned is his pitch selection and his perceived hesitation to lean on a third pitch, which he has been working on the last few offseasons. Those two things turned a decent outing into a frustrating one for Tampa Bay.

Mookie Betts kickstarted a first-inning rally with a double to left two batters into the game. Corey Seager followed by ripping an RBI single to right on a cement mixer left over the heart of the plate. It was the third straight game where Los Angeles took a first-inning lead.

Then in the second inning, Joc Pederson fell behind 1-2 before he drilled a 98.5 mph fastball for a 3-0 lead. Instead of trying to get Pederson to expand by throwing a curveball off the plate, Glasnow tried to overpower the outfielder on a high fastball. Unfortunately, the pitch wasn’t above the zone, and Pederson didn’t miss it.

Glasnow was able to bounce back and retire eight consecutive batters, while Tampa Bay got on the board against Kershaw in the third.

Kevin Kiermaier beat out a chopper to the first base side of the mound for an infield hit, before Yandy Diaz hit a one-out triple to right, eluding Betts to draw the Rays within two. Randy Arozarena followed with an RBI single to left to get the Rays within a run. It was Arozarena’s 27th postseason hit, setting a new Major League record.

Even though they had multiple opportunities to exact more damage — the Rays got the leadoff runner aboard in six of the nine innings — they ultimately went 1-7 wRISP and they, as Dave Wills would say, left a lot of chicken on the bone.

Glasnow retired the first two batters in the top half of the third inning, yet Muncy drilled a two-strike, center/center fastball to right-center, capping the scoring. It was the ninth home run allowed by Glasnow, a postseason record.

Tampa Bay had a chance to take the lead in the fourth inning. Manuel Margot walked, swiped second, and went to third when the responding throw went off Chris Taylor’s glove for an error. Then, after falling behind 0-2, Hunter Renfroe worked a free pass to put runners at the corners with no outs. However, Joey Wendle popped out to short and Willy Adames struck out. Margot tried to spark some offense with Kiermaier at the plate — he attempted to steal home and was thrown out by a hair. The play did not work, yet let’s be honest: given that Kiermaier has slashed .224 BA/.255 OBP/.490 SLG/.745 OPS with a 29% strikeout rate during the offseason, the odds were stacked against him to come up in the clutch. Margot tried to do what he instinctively thought Kiermaier couldn’t or wouldn’t — plate an important run and rattle Kershaw.

Escaping the jam enabled Kershaw to begin a stretch where he retired seven consecutive batters on just 21 pitches. For whatever reason, the left-hander was lifted in the sixth inning much to the chagrin of the Dodgers fans in attendance who booed Dave Roberts’ decision. Roberts called upon Dustin May.

Even though Tampa Bay tagged May in his previous outing, the Carrot Top-like hurler made quick work the next four batters. May did get into trouble after Kiermaier singled to left to open the eighth, yet pinch-hitter Yoshi Tsutsugo flew out to left. Kevin Cash called upon Ji-Man Choi to pinch hit for Yandy Diaz, but Roberts called on southpaw Victor Gonzalez. In so doing, Mike Brosseau hit for Choi instead. Kiermaier moved into second on a wild pitch while Brosseau reached on a free pass in a nine-pitch at-bat, bringing Arozarena to the plate. Yet RAAAAAAAANDY flew out to center, as did Brandon Lowe on the first pitch of his at-bat.

Meanwhile, Aaron Loup got two outs while Diego Castillo collected four before Ryan Sherriff hurled a perfect eighth inning, allowing Tampa Bay to hang around. Ryan Thompson worked around a walk in a scoreless ninth.

Finally, Blake Treinen got the save opportunity in the bottom of the ninth — his third consecutive day of work. Margot singled to start the frame, however, Austin Meadows went down swinging, Wendle flew out to center, and Adames struck out to end the game.

After a previously scheduled off-day, Blake Snell will get the start in game six on Tuesday. It marks the third elimination game for Tampa Bay this postseason. The Rays have won the other two.