The Tampa Bay Rays will welcome the Boston Red Sox into The Trop for a three-game series, Friday night. (Editor’s note: I’m not sure if welcome is the right word)
Tampa Bay has won seven in a row, all but recovering from their dreadful start of the season — charging back into the playoff conversation. Since June 11, the Rays have the best record in baseball at 25-11. And though they were 18 games under .500 at one point, the Rays have climbed within four games of evening their record.
Boston, on the other hand, charged out of the All-Star break and put together a five-game winning streak — culminating in an offensive explosion in their first game in Toronto. But just when it seemed like the Red Sox could put up a viable threat in the AL East, it all started to fall apart again. Boston dropped the next three games to the Blue Jays, ending the series by getting beat in a one-hit shutout.
Over the course of the series, the Rays will look to bury the cellar dwellers who start the day (Friday, July 25) 9.5 games out of first, and two games behind Tampa Bay. That doesn’t mean it will be easy. Jon Lester (10-7, 2.50 ERA) will take the mound in the series opener for Boston. He’s on an outstanding run over his past seven starts, posting a 0.85 ERA by giving up 2 runs or less in each of those outings — including 3 shutouts. He also hasn’t given up a home run in any of those starts and now faces a Rays team that ranks only 11th in the AL in home runs (80 – one more than the Red Sox).
For the Red Sox, this is a make or break series. Another lost series means they’ll probably see some veterans packing their bags next week. Boston will be tasked with facing the Rays’ ace when he takes the mound, opposite of Lester. David Price (10-7, 3.06 ERA) is on a roll himself, shutting out his last two opponents over eight innings and giving up a total of only three runs all month. Price leads the league in strikeouts (173) and is 3rd in the league with a 8.24 K/BB ratio.
Crybaby McArthur…urm, Big Papi tweaked his back in his final at-bat Thursday, and may sit out with back spasms. Taking Ortiz out of the lineup would deprive the fading Red Sox the drama between he and David Price. I’d imagine Boston would use that drama as a rallying cry of sorts.
Jon Lester: Lester has won his last three starts versus Tampa Bay, including Game 1 of last year’s playoff series. In his only meeting this season, he allowed four hits with 12 strikeouts in seven innings of a 4-0 home win June 1. Despite all of that, More than a handful of Rays have good numbers against the Red Sox ace. Personally, I’d like to see the Rays treat Lester like they had Buehrle — that is, dictate the rhythm by stepping out of the box, making contact with borderline pitches, etc. Key matchups: Yunel Escobar (9-34, 2B, 2 RBI, 5 BB), Brandon Guyer (2-5), Desmond Jennings (9-27, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Matt Joyce (4-11, 2 HR, 6 RBI, BB), James Loney (3-10, 2B, RBI, BB), Evan Longoria (13-53, 3 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB), Jose Molina (9-28, 2B, RBI, 3 BB).
John Lackey: Don’t get me wrong, Lackey (11-6, 3.66 ERA) has been pretty good this season, including his two starts versus the Rays this season when he yielded a measly two runs in 15-innings of work. However, he isn’t infallible. Lackey’s given up four or more runs six times this season, and three times in his last five starts. Key matchups: Yunel Escobar (8-21, 2 2B, RBI, 3 BB), Matt Joyce (8-24, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB), Evan Longoria (13-37, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB), Sean Rodriguez (2-7), Ben Zobrist (11-31, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 5 BB).
Jake Peavy: To put it simply, Peavy (1-9, 4.72 ERA) has been atrocious this season. Boston’s lost 12 of the last 13 games Peavy’s started, while he’s given up (on average) just under four runs in each of those starts. In his most recent start Tuesday, Peavy gave up five earned runs on eight hits — two of them homers — across 6-1/3 innings against the Blue Jays. He also walked three and fanned seven. Key matchups: Logan Forsythe (1-2, 2 RBI), Brandon Guyer (3-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Desmond Jennings (3-12, 2B, HR, RBI), James Loney (10-36, 5 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB), Sean Rodriguez (2-4), Ben Zobrist (4-16, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB).
Noteworthiness
- Per Marc Topkin, “After surging back into the fringe of the playoff race by winning eight of nine, the Red Sox lost three straight in Toronto, and didn’t looked good in doing so. Plus, DH David Ortiz, who had been hot, left Thursday’s game with a back spasm, and team officials said they have tabled contract talks with ace LHP Jon Lester until the offseason. Pitching continues to be their strength. OF Shane Victorino is back from the DL, and veteran C A.J. Pierzynski was recently cut loose. A streak of homering in a season-high eight straight games ended Thursday.”
- The Rays lead the season series 5-4, while the Red Sox lead 166-121 overall, and 73-69 at The Trop.
- Evan Longoria compels thee to get out to the Trop: “I think the hope is we go back home and see a few fans in the stands and start to use that momentum and gain some of that home field advantage back,” Longoria said. “This team is fun to watch right now. We know the fans watch and support us on TV and hopefully that’s enough of an incentive to come out and see us at the ballpark. … I think the record (52-17 with regular-season crowds of 30,000 or more since 2008) speaks for itself. I’m excited to get back home and get some of that advantage back.”
- Well, this is dumb: