(Photo Credit: Roger Mooney/Tampa Bay Times)The Tampa Bay Rays are set to start a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers on Monday. On the mound, Matt Andriese will toe the rubber opposite of Michael Fulmer.
Andriese bounced back from a rough start to allow just one run on five hits and three walks through six innings on Thursday. He struck out five batters.
Fulmer is picking up where he left off last season, sporting a 0.92 WHIP with 11 strikeouts through 13 innings of work. He allowed three runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out seven batters over six innings Wednesday. The right hander tends to lean on a fly ball heavy 95 mph four-seam fastball and a 90 mph slider, while also mixing in a hard 89 mph changeup and a 95 mph sinker. Key matchups: Nope
— As expected, Matt Duffy (Achilles tendon) began his running program at the Trop on Tuesday. The shortstop was encouraged by the work he did, both running and fielding, and told Roger Mooney (Tampa Bay Times) that it is the best he has felt since his September heel surgery.
— Colby Rasmus also took fly balls in right-field under the big-top this afternoon. The outfielder is reportedly pushing to re-start his minor league rehab assignment this week. He is expected to build up to playing full games before returning.
— Mallex Smith, who began running yesterday, told Mooney he ran more today. His left hamstring is still tight, although he is feeling better.
At least Steven Souza Jr. is faring well. He is batting .385 wRISP and is the team co-leader in RBI with 10. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
The Tampa Bay Rays limp back into St. Petersburg, where they are set to open a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. Tampa Bay went 1-6 on the east coast jaunt up to Boston and back, with the bullpen and defense thwarting the team from maintaining any momentum accrued from the 5-2 start.
(Stats: ESPN)
It would be incredibly easy to blame the offense for the recent spade of failure, after all (and for example) the number three and four hitters — Evan Longoria and Brad Miller — combined to go 10-48 with 20 strikeouts, and 3-16 with nine strikeouts with runners in scoring position during the last seven games. Longoria also grounded into three double plays over the course of the four-game set against the Red Sox, which certainly didn’t help. But when you consider that the Rays averaged almost five runs per game against Boston, something else seems to be afoot — namely a spotty bullpen and defense.
Over the last seven days, Tampa Bay’s relievers have pitched to an 0-4 record, and a 7.91 ERA/6.03 FIP. What’s more, in two of the last three games, the bullpen has been on the hook for the come-from-behind victories by the Red Sox.
To be fair, the defense up the middle has’t helped the cause.
Team Defensive Runs Saved Leaders
Rockies 13
Twins 12
Red Sox 12
Tigers 11
Rays 10
Sure, it is great that the Rays have collected +10 defensive runs saved (DRS) so far. Yet aside from Evan Longoria and Daniel Robertson, none of the infielders have pitched in…at least as it relates to DRS. In fact Tim Beckham has actually cost the Rays a run thus far.
Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) painted a picture for how a sloppy defense can affect the team:
Brad Miller making an inexplicable error on a routine play at second base in the second, and nobody doing anything to keep it from costing them the game.
The gaffe cost Blake Snell and Tampa Bay three earned runs, and the loss, in the series finale with Boston on Monday.
Frustrating loss, Kevin Cash said. We talk about for us to have our best chance, we’ve got to play clean baseball. You could probably go back to a couple plays on this road trip that it just didn’t go our way. And it was very tough for us to overcome.
(Stats: FanGraphs)
Enter the AL Central leading Detroit Tigers, who have gone 7-3 over their last 10 games, while also winning back-to-back-to-back series’ against the Red Sox, Twins and Indians. The Tigers are, well…the Tigers — a team with borderline-to-great ISO and wOBA ratings, a team that possesses solid defense, but one that strikes out often; although not as often as Tampa Bay. Their Achilles heel appears to be the relief staff that has hurled a 1-0 record with a 6.85 ERA/5.53 FIP over the last week.
Kevin Cash will throw Matt Andriese (0-0, 4.50 ERA, 4.93 FIP), Chris Archer (2-0, 2.21 ERA, 2.04 FIP), and Erasmo Ramirez (1-0, 3.72 ERA, 4.90 FIP) over the span of the three-game set. Brad Ausmus will counter with Michael Fulmer (1-0, 2.25 ERA, 3.43 FIP), Jordan Zimmermann (1-1. 5.06 ERA, 4.99 FIP), and Daniel Norris (1-0, 2.19 ERA, 3.50 FIP).
(Stats: FanGraphs)
Pitching matchups
Andriese bounced back from a rough series debut to allow just one run on five hits and three walks through six innings on Thursday. He struck out five batters.
Fulmer is picking up where he left off last season, sporting a 0.92 WHIP with 11 strikeouts through 13 innings of work. He allowed three runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out seven batters over six innings Wednesday. The right hander tends to lean on a fly ball heavy 95 mph four-seam fastball and a 90 mph slider, while also mixing in a hard 89 mph changeup and a 95 mph sinker. Key matchups: Nope
Archer fanned five and gave up one earned run on six hits and two walks over 5-2/3 innings of the 10-5 win over the Red Sox on Friday. Archer fired 102 pitches across his start, and didn’t collect as many whiffs as usual — notching a modest nine swinging strikes. He, however, was able to limit the damage to just an RBI single in the sixth.
Zimmerman allowed five runs on four hits, while issuing five free passes over 4-2/3 innings on Thursday. After starting the game with a pair of scoreless frames, things spiraled out of control for Zimmerman shortly after. The right-hander said some of his struggles had to do with gripping the baseball. Zimmerman most often relies upon a 92 mph fly ball inducing four-seam Fastball, while also mixing in an 87 mph slider, a whiffy 81 mph curveball and an 81 mph circle change. Key matchups: Tim Beckham (1-2), Peter Bourjos (1-3), Corey Dickerson (4-6, 2B, HR, RBI), Kevin Kiermaier (1-4), Evan Longoria (3-10, BB), Derek Norris (1-3), Steven Souza Jr. (3-5, HR, RBI), Rickie Weeks Jr. (5-9, 3 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB)
Ramirez will enter the rotation and start Thursday’s game in place of Jake Odorizzi, who has been placed on the 10-day DL.
Norris threw six scoreless innings Friday, allowing just two hits but issuing four walks while striking out five in a win over the Indians. Norris relies heavily upon a 94 mph worm-buring four-seam fastball, while also mixing in a hard 87 mph slider, a whiffy 86 mph changeup and a 77 mph swing-and-miss curveball. Key matchup: Evan Longoria (3-4, 2B, RBI, BB)
Noteworthiness
— We should see the return/debut of Colby Rasmus at some point during this six-game homestand.
— Per Topkin, the Rays struck out 11 more times Monday, making it 40 for the past three games and in double digits for six of the seven games on the trip. Overall, they lead the majors with 150.
Meanwhile, the big bats are starting to wake up. Miguel Cabrera was hitting .133/.278/.233 through the team’s first nine games, but had five hits (including a home run) in the weekend series against the Indians. Luckily for the Rays, Cabrera tweaked his lower back late in the Sunday finale and will likely sit out at least one game in this series.
The Tampa Bay Rays fell to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, 7-5. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
Not even a three-run first, and a pair of homers, could find the Tampa Bay Rays on the winning side of the ledger Sunday afternoon, as they fell to the Boston Red Sox, 7-5. And while they had opportunities to pull past Boston, the BABIP luck dragons, poor pitching performances and mismanagement on the part of Kevin Cash find Tampa Bay under .500 for the first time this season.
If anything, the WPA graph above shows that the game was in reach until it wasn’t. Source: FanGraphs
— In his post game presser (seen below) Cash mentioned in no certain terms that Alex Cobb battled the BABIP luck dragons, and, well…lost.
However, Cobb lacked fastball command, and he ultimately gave up his share of costly hits. To his credit, the right-hander was able to coax double plays in the first and fifth innings, and pick off Betts at first in the third.
— Why would you bring Xavier Cedeno — a pitcher that’s had considerable problems in medium (3.00 WHIP/9.00 BB:9/0.00 K:9/62.5% LOB/16.14 FIP) and high leverage (1.80 WHIP/16.20 BB:9/0.00 K:9/100% LOB/8.34 FIP) situations — into the game with the bases loaded and just one out? Moreover, Cedeno has been incredibly shaky thus far, especially with inherited runners on the bags; 10-of-14 inherited runners have now scored against the southpaw this season.
Perhaps a better plan of attack would have been to let Cedeno start the seventh, instead of mop up the mess in Farquhar’s wake
— Because Austin Pruitt threw 41 pitches on Thursday, it was widely assumed that the addition of Chase Whitley was to alleviate some of the pressure on the rookie, while also adding a quality fresh arm to the ‘pen. With that in mind, it was kind of surprising to see Pruitt take the mound in the eighth, especially since he hasn’t fared well (to put it nicely) this season, and since Whitley had previously warmed.
It would be incredibly harsh to call out Pruitt, after all his .750 BABIP on the day only added to his incredibly unlucky .576 BABIP overall. However, I will say that if you have a fresh arm that’s ready to go — one that’s proven to be effective at the big league level — why not go with him? Instead, Pruitt got them through the eighth with what amounted to an insurmountable two-run deficit, especially since the specter of Craig Kimbrel loomed large.
The New What Next
The Rays wrap up their first road trip on Monday against the Red Sox. Blake Snell (0-1, 3.18 ERA, 5.16 FIP) will get the start, opposite knuckleballer Steven Wright (0-1, 13.50 ERA, 11.70 FIP).
Snell still has work to do on his fastball command, but that’s a well worn diatribe by now. His 3.18 ERA looks great, yet his 6.35 BB/9 does not. It’s undoubtable that the Red Sox’s game plan will be to be patient against Snell. If — for some reason — they aren’t, or if he can lock it in, Snell can dominate Boston on Patriot’s Day.
Wright, the knuckle baller, lasted just 1-1⁄3 innings in his last start, including four home runs while recording only four outs. The Rays have faced Wright just once, although they tagged him for four runs (all earned) on seven hits, including a pair of homers, over four innings last season. Key matchups: Tim Beckham (1-2), Kevin Kiermaier (2-3), Brad Miller (2-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB), Logan Morrison (2-4, HR, RBI)
Rays reliever Erasmo Ramirez takes a breather after giving up a homer to Mitch Moreland on his first pitch. Ramirez settles down and allows nothing else through four innings. (Photo Credit: Associated Press)
The Tampa Bay Rays lost Jake Odorizzi to the injury bug on Saturday — more specifically to left hamstring tightness — as the team fell to the Boston Red Sox, 2-1. Tampa Bay has split the first two games of a four-game set with Boston.
On the first pitch of the second inning, Odorizzi threw a breaking pitch to first baseman Mitch Moreland, then instantly grimaced on the follow through — also grabbing at the top of his left thigh area. Ron Porterfield and Rays skipper Kevin Cash quickly made their way to the mound and watched Odorizzi throw a pair of practice pitches. The look on Odorizzi’s face spoke volumes: he was in no shape to continue.
The broadcast team, DeWayne and BA, pointed out that Odorizzi grabbed the same spot where he was hit by a Jose Bautista line drive six days prior, in his last start against Toronto. He stayed in to pitch three more innings that day, and did all his normal between-starts work without worry — Jake reportedly felt fine. Yet he acknowledged the correlation between this injury and the line drive following the game:
It wasn’t an issue from when it happened until that pitch.
Following the ball-game, the Rays placed Odorizzi on the 10-day DL with what is hoped to be a minor injury; recalling Chase Whitely in the process. Whitley is expected to pitch in relief.
Some moves:#Rays place Jake Odorizzi on the 10-day DL with a left hamstring strain. @ChaseWhitley has been recalled from the @DurhamBulls.
In light of the departure, Erasmo Ramirez took the mound in relief…and was greeted rather rudely by Moreland, who hit a first-pitch solo shot to right, on a center cut four-seam fastball for a Boston lead. That, however, was the only run they would score off Ramirez.
Erasmo spent the rest of his outing working at the bottom of the zone with his fastball, while keeping Boston’s hitters off balance with his slider that drew three whiffs on six swings. Ramirez gave Tampa Bay four solid innings on 46 pitches, allowing three hits while striking out two.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay answered in the third inning against Chris Sale. Kevin Kiermaier took a walk then moved to second on a one-out single to left by Steven Souza Jr. Evan Longoria plated the Rays’ only run with a two-out single to center, ending his 1-for-22 career stretch against the left-hander. Tampa Bay eventually loaded the bases with two outs, but Sale limited damage by striking out Derek Norris to end the threat. That started a 4-1/3 inning stretch where Sale allowed just a walk while striking out eight.
After Ramirez, Tommy Hunter worked a perfect sixth inning, only to get into trouble in the seventh.
Hunter allowed singles to the righty-killer that is Mitch Moreland, as well as Xander Bogaerts to open the frame. Pablo Sandoval grounded into a 3–6 fielder’s choice, allowing Moreland to move up to third. After walking Chris Young to load the bases, Xavier Cedeno entered the game to have switch-hitting Sandy Leon hit right-handed. The irony being that Leon is by far a better right-handed hitter, with the catcher slashing .318 BA/.395 OBP/.485 SLG/.880 OPS at home against lefties from the right side.
Cedeno, who has been rather suspect of late, jammed Leon with an inside cutter and coaxed a broken-bat grounder to Daniel Robertson at second. Robertson elected to get the sure out at first, while Moreland crossed the plate for the go-ahead run. After an intentional walk of Dustin Pedroia, Cedeno got Andrew Benintendi to ground into the shift, limiting damage to a single run.
That was frustrating simply because you felt like you get the right guy in there, you make the right move, you make the right pitch, everything goes your way, but we don’t quite get the ball hit hard enough to turn a double play, Cash said in his post-game presser. No fault to anybody — X was outstanding, and Robby got the only out he could get.
Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) made mention of the game changing play:
Robertson explained why he didn’t throw to second — his positioning, where he caught the ball, the potential to hit the runner with the throw — then saying “in hindsight, maybe I should have tried to give it a shot.” Boston manager John Farrell also said he thought they would try for two.
The Rays mounted one last rally against set-up man Matt Barnes, who walked Souza and the pinch hitting Corey Dickerson with just one out. Longoria stepped to the plate with intent to put his team ahead, yet the face of the franchise grounded hard into a 5–4–3 double play, ending the inning.
Craig Kimbrel closed out the game with a sharp 1-2-3 ninth.
The New What Next
The Rays play game three of four against Boston on Sunday. Alex Cobb (1-1, 3.46 ERA, 4.72 FIP) will toe the rubber opposite lefty Drew Pomeranz (0-1, 1.50 ERA, 1.45 FIP).
Cobb has been good over his first two starts of the season. His ERA is in good order (even though his FIP isn’t), and he has limited walks, although he hasn’t rung up a ton of batters and and he has allowed homers at a high rate.
Pomeranz’ first start was encouraging, spinning six innings of one-run ball against the Orioles. The left-hander admitted to being a bit sore after the outing, although he doesn’t think it’s anything to be concerned about (as it relates to his previous forearm issues). He has been a two pitch pitcher thus far, relying upon a whiffy four seam fastball, and a hard curveball with sharp downward bite. Key matchups: Tim Beckham (1-2, BB), Brad Miller (6-13, 2B, HR, 3 RBI), Steven Souza Jr. (1-5, BB)
The Tampa Bay Rays jumped on reigning Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello early, tagging the right-hander for six runs in the first three innings alone. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
The Tampa Bay Rays snapped their first losing skid of the season, battling the Boston Red Sox for a 10-5 win at Fenway Park. Shane Peterson homered in his first plate appearance with Tampa Bay, and Logan Morrison collected his first career grand slam during the offensive pummeling.
Per the WPA graph, the Red Sox never even had a chance. Source: FanGraphs
Highlights and low-lights from the ball-game follow:
— After cruising through the first three innings on 33 pitches, Chris Archer battled through a 34-pitch fourth, walking a pair of Red Sox hitters and loading the bases with two outs. Archer coaxed a full count grounder from Pablo Sandoval to end the threat.
From that point on, Boston threatened to score in every inning through the end of the game.
The Sox got on the board in the fifth when Andrew Benintendi singled home Dustin Pedoria, who reached on a two out double. Archer eventually was lifted after 5-2/3 innings, having allowed one run on six hits and a pair of walks, while striking out five.
The Rays’ ace was able to lower his ERA to 2.21, although his FIP notched up slightly to 2.05.
— Logan Morrison doubled to center in the second inning to start Tampa Bay’s first rally. Two batters later, Peterson homered just inside the Pesky pole in right for a two-run lead.
Peterson was recalled from Durham for the injured Mallex Smith. He became the ninth Ray to homer in his first plate appearance with the team.
Following the game, the outfielder told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) that he was just happy to be back in the majors, and doing well made it even better:
I had all day to pretty much think about it, that’s part of my routine pretty much every day trying to visualize. At the same time, you can’t really expect things to go as you visualize it. I’ve had plenty of days when I thought I was going to do amazing, I had it mapped out in my head and the next thing you know it didn’t turn out that way. But fortunately I was able to have a good day today, especially coming out first at-bat always makes rest of the day easier.
— The Rays extended the lead against Porcello in the third inning. Evan Longoria walked with one out before Brad Miller blooped a single to center, and Steven Souza Jr. walked on a 3–2 pitch to load the bases.
Morrison, previously a .245 hitter with the bases loaded and no grand slams to his name, ran the count to 2–0 before hitting his third homer of the season.
On a night filled with offense, this Logan Morrison swing was the grandest of them all. pic.twitter.com/JeGj9OBrqK
— Brad Miller entered the game on an 0-11 (and 1-for-his-last-18) streak, and promptly struck out in his first at-bat. Yet he warmed up in a hurry, singling, homering to deep center, tripling and walking to end a double shy of the second cycle in franchise history. BA noted in that first at-bat how out of sync Miller was at the plate, so it’ll be interesting to see how his approach changes today and moving forward.
— One batter later (after Miller’s homer, that is) Souza turned on a Porcello fastball, and absolutely crushed it high and far into foul territory in left. A pitch later, he dropped his bat-head on a changeup and deposited the pitch into the first row of seats on the Green Monster. All told, it was an 11-pitch battle that Souza won.
— It bears mentioning, the reigning Cy Young Award winner had collected 15 straight quality starts dating back to last year entering the night.
— Topkin wrote on the Heater blog, RHP Austin Pruitt making the opening day roster was a feel-good story, but nobody can be feeling too good about how he has pitched. That he came in Friday with a 10-1 lead and couldn’t finish, forcing Alex Colome to pitch, was terrible.
In all fairness, Pruitt has pitched to a .552 BABIP, i.e. he has been incredibly unlucky. Seeing-eye singles, cans of corn, and infield hits all seem to drop in on the right-hander. That stuff is out of his control. What is in his control, and what is not impressive, are his 1:1 K:BB, and 3.89 BB:9 ratios. Perhaps a demotion to Triple-A would do him some good.
The New What Next
The Rays and Red Sox play game two of their four-game set on Saturday. Jake Odorizzi will get the start opposite of lefty Chris Sale.
Odorizzi has shown both flashes and lapses of command this season, as he’s allowed three homers through his first two starts. When he’s on, he has the ability to shut down any lineup in the league, however, he will have to curtail his home run allowing ways. Odorizzi, was hit in the leg by a line drive on Sunday, although he isn’t concerned about it having any residual impact on his start against Boston.
It feels like a bruise, he said. I don’t think it’ll be a big issue.
Sale is a beast of consistency with really great stuff. The lefty was excellent in his last start, throwing 7-2/3 innings of two-run ball, allowing five hits and one walk while fanning 10. He has looked terrific in his first two starts, and now carries a 1.23 ERA and a 17/2 K/BB over 14-2/3 innings. He, however, has received just one run of support thus far. Key matchups: Peter Borjous (2-7, BB), Kevin Kiermaier (2-4, BB), Logan Morrison (1-3), Rickie Weeks Jr. (1-3)
