Left handed pitching phenom Blake Snell is set to make his MLB debut Saturday against the New York Yankees. (Photo Credit: Jennifer Bruno/Sun Photo)
Rays 4/22/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Guyer CF
Longoria 3B
Dickerson DH
Jennings LF
Pearce 1B
Souza RF
Beckham SS
Casali C
Moore LHP
Noteworthiness
Left-handed pitching phenom Blake Snell has been called up by the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of his first major league start on Saturday against the Yankees, in the Bronx.
In the midst of a nine-game stretch, Tampa Bay needed a fifth starter for Saturday. And though Kevin Cash planned to start RHP Erasmo Ramirez instead, a 1-1/3 inning appearance in Thursday afternoon’s game against Boston threw a proverbial wrench in the gears.
EnterSnellzilla.
Snell is 1-1 with a 2.51 ERA in three starts with Triple-A Durham. The lefty has fanned 21 in just 14-1/2 innings while scattering 15 hits and seven walks (a 3/1 K/BB).
The 23 year-old hurler rose through the Rays farm system in 2015, starting the season with Class-A Charlotte, then moving to Double-A Montgomery and eventually Durham.
Snell put together an incredible season where he led the minor leagues in ERA (1.41) and opponents batting average (.182), posted a ridiculous 31.3% K%, and ranked among the overall leaders with 15 wins (third) and 163 strikeouts (fourth). He becomes just the ninth pitcher in 35 years to claim the honor of Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year.
Responding to a text from Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) on his flight to New York City, Snell said he is thrilled to make his debut on such a big stage.
Can’t have dreamed of a better way. It’s really such an amazing time for me. And I’m really fortunate to be in this situation.
The left-handed pitcher is already on the 40-man roster, however, the team will need to clear room on the 25-man active roster ahead of the first pitch start. According to Topkin, that move may not come until later this evening. For what it’s worth, Steve Geltz and Danny Farquhar are the only Rays relief pitchers with options remaining.
Snell’s stay with the team could be brief. The Rays likely wouldn’t need a fifth starter again until May 10, and keeping him in the majors over the long-term would make him eligible for arbitration a year earlier.
Snell will wear No. 4, the lowest by one of the Rays hurlers. He also becomes the first pitcher in team history to wear a single digit.
A season-high 12 runs propelled the Tampa Bay Rays to back-to-back series wins. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
The Tampa Bay Rays ended their three-game series in Boston on a high note, scoring 12 runs on 15 hits against the Red Sox, and walking away with their second consecutive series victory. Even though the 12-8 victory wasn’t the tidiest or most graceful affair, the Rays can use the offensive outburst as a springboard of sorts when they begin a three-game series with the Evil Empire on Friday.
Rays by the numbers.
Things looked bleak for Tampa Bay in the early goings of the series finale with Boston. After taking a one-run lead off David Price in the top of the first, the Red Sox tagged starter Jake Odorizzi with five runs on six hits and an error. Yet the Rays struck back on an Evan Longoria solo shot in the third, and a six run/4 hit/2 error fourth which allowed them to retake the lead against their former ace. When asked about his homer, Longoria said he couldn’t make eye contact with his good friend Price: “I have too much respect for him.”
Both teams went back and forth between deficits, ties and leads before Tampa Bay went ahead for good in the eighth. All told, the Rays scored 18 runs over the last three games (an average of six runs per game) and went 8-for-30 with runners in scoring position for a respectable .267 wRISP.
Rays and Yankees offensive production (as of Thursday).
The Rays’ overall production looks downright depressing. And with the exception of a slightly above average ISO, nothing really jumps out at you. However, over the last two series, the Rays have scored 28 runs (an average of 4.67 runs per game) while going 12-48 wRISP (good for a .250 BA). Their formula for success has been solid pitching ― not withstanding the outings by Chris Archer and Odorizzi, of course ― and timely hitting.
As for New York, at 5-9 on the season, the Yankees have sputtered during their worst 14-game start since 2005. They have produced a whopping 18 runs while hitting .212 during a 1-7 stretch. And if you think the Rays have traditionally looked bad wRISP, consider the Yankees’ anemic .101 with runners in scoring position over their last nine.
Prior to the series with the Athletics, Jeremy Koo (Athletics Nation) wrote a piece on New York’s offense. I’ve taken that framework and updated the numbers a bit to reflect the passing of time. Of the nine batters with at least 20 plate appearances, Mark Teixeira is seventh on the list in wRC+ with a 91 wRC+ (.182 BA/.357 OBP/.386 SLG/.643 OPS) thanks to his three home runs, but in sixth is Didi Gregorius at 62 (.250 BA/.261 OBP/.432 SLG/.663 OBP). New York’s leading hitter is Carlos Beltram with a 176 wRC+ (.327 BA/.333 BA/.633 SLG/.966 OPS). That is to say if the Rays pitching can shut down the mighty Yankees, they can walk away with another series victory.
If the Yankees have done something well, it’s stolen bases. As of Thursday, the Bronx Bummers were second in baseball with 13 ― just behind Houston, who’s racked up 15. Jacoby Ellsbury leads the Yankees with four stolen bags, followed by Chase Headley (3), Starlin Castro (2), Brett Gardner (2), Didi Gregorius (1) and Alex Rodriguez (1).
Tampa Bay skipper Kevin Cash will throw Matt Moore in the series opener on Friday, and Drew Smyly Sunday afternoon. It’s believed that Erasmo Ramirez (4-0, 1.29 ERA) will get the start Saturday, although it’s unclear as of now for since he pitched 1-1/3 innings on Thursday. Erasmo could still get the start, or Steve Geltz might if Cash opts for a bullpen day.
Moore is coming off a solid outing against the White Sox, fanning 10 in 6-⅓ innings with no walks. Tampa Bay has won all three of his starts. The lefty is 5-2 with a 3.83 ERA in 10 starts against the Yankees (3-1, 4.66 ERA in New York).
Smyly (0-2) threw eight scoreless innings against Boston on Tuesday, allowing just one hit and two walks while fanning 11. The lefty did not factor in the decision, however, as the game went into extra innings.
Rays and Yankees series starters over the last 14 days.
CC Sabathia: Due to a loss of velocity, Sabathia has become more “pitcher.” The southpaw didn’t get through the fifth inning of his most recent start Saturday against Seattle (on 95 pitches). The 15-year veteran surrendered a trio of earned runs for the second consecutive game, although he cut down his free passes to one after handing out four in his first start of the season against Detroit. Sabathia is 13-14 with a 3.73 ERA over 38 starts against Tampa Bay. Key matchups: Logan Forsythe (6-15, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI), Kevin Kiermaier (1-2), Evan Longoria (24-64, 8 2B, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 13 BB), Logan Morrison (2-3), Steven Souza Jr. (2-5, BB)
Masahiro Tanaka: Tanaka (1-0, 3.06 ERA) threw seven strong innings Sunday to collect his first win of the season, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits over seven innings while striking out six. He won a battle between former Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles teammates against Hisashi Iwakuma (currently with Seattle). Tanaka now sports a sharp 16/5 K/BB through 17-2/3 innings and three starts. Beware of the splitter! Tanaka relies upon an 86 mph extreme fly-ball inducing splitter, and a 90 mph worm burning sinker. He also mixes in an 83 mph slider, an 87 mph cutter and a 75 mph curveball. Key matchups: Brandon Guyer (1-2, 2B), Kevin Kiermaier (1-2, 3B), Steve Pearce (1-3)
Michael Pineda: Pineda posted a quality start in his last outing, holding the Athletics to two runs and seven hits over six innings, while striking out seven.
Per ESPN Fantasy,
Pineda has now increased his strike out total in each of his three starts to begin the season. Many anticipated 2015 would be a breakout campaign for the Dominican native, but that never came to fruition. Though the right-hander has thrown well so far, there have been no indicators that 2016 will be vastly different than last season. Of course it’s early, but Pineda’s numbers to this point are unimpressive considering the lofty expectations many have for him.
He is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in seven career starts against Tampa Bay. Key matchups: Tim Beckham (1-2), Logan Forsythe (2-3, 2B), Desmond Jennings (3-8, 2B), Brad Miller (1-4, 2 BB), Steven Souza Jr. (4-9, 2B, HR, 3 RBI)
Noteworthiness
― Evan longoria has collected 41 RBI in 58 games at new Yankee Stadium, the most of any visitor. His 14 homers are second most Jose Bautista’s 17.
― After being hit three times Thursday afternoon, Brandon Guyer became the only player in Major League history to be hit five times in under 30 plate appearances (Source: DRaysBay).
― New York is 0-4 against left-handed starters this season.
― Mark Teixeira is 3-33 with one RBI over over a 10 game stretch, while and Alex Rodriguez is batting .156 after going 0-2 Thursday.
Chris Archer, pictured warming up prior to the game, celebrated Fenway Park’s 104th birthday by allowing six runs over 4-1/3 innings of work. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
Chris Archer’s tough 2016 campaign continued on Wednesday, as the Red Sox plated three runs before an out was even recorded. All told, Archer allowed six earned runs on eight hits over 4-1/3 innings en route to a 7-3 loss by the Tampa Bay Rays against the Red Sox.
There really isn’t much to say about the game. Sure, the Rays had scoring opportunities a plenty, however, they went 1-7 wRISP as they’re wont to do. And if it wasn’t for a sixth inning, two-run blast off the bat of Corey Dickerson, the score wouldn’t have even been within a slam of a tie.
The real story was Archer, who failed to make it through the sixth inning for the fourth consecutive start. He is now 0-7 with a 6.39 ERA in his last 10 starts (dating back to August 2015).
Chris Archer strike zone plot. (Credit: Brooks Baseball)Chris Archer strike zone plot by pitch type. (Credit: Brooks Baseball)
Archer again lacked command of his pitches, and he was all over the zone because of it. Meanwhile, the Red Sox ― anticipating a pitcher who may be lacking confidence ― pounded the mistakes the Rays ace left in the zone.
Archer quickly fell behind 15-of-the-23 batters he faced, only collecting eight first pitch strikes. Down in the count early, the righty was forced to throw within the zone and Boston responded in kind. Archer missed high with his fastball, while his slider lacked depth for the fourth consecutive start. In four career starts at Fenway, the righty has never gone more than five innings pitched.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said there were no physical or mechanical issues with Archer, just a lack of execution. Cash acknowledged that Archer, “Might just be in a little bit of a rut.”
The New What Next
Jake Odorizzi (0-1, 2.41 ERA) will get the start for Tampa Bay in the series finale on Thursday. He posted seven shutout innings in his last start on Friday against the Chicago White Sox. Former Ray David Price (2-0, 4.50) will toe the rubber opposite of Odorizzi. It’ll be his fourth career start against the Rays. Price is 1-2 with a 4.26 ERA in his previous three. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 4/21/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Guyer LF
Longoria 3B
Pearce 1B
Jennings DH
Souza RF
Beckham SS
Kiermaier CF
Casali C
Odorizzi RHP
Noteworthiness
— As expected, both Steve Pearce and Brandon Guyer are in the lineup vs. the left-handed David Price.
The Tampa Bay Rays kicked off the three-game series in Boston with a 3-0, extra innings win. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
Drew Smyly threw eight innings of one-hit, shutout ball on Tuesday en route to a 3-0 combined one-hitter against Boston. The Tampa Bay Rays now are 6-7 after three consecutive wins.
Highlights and low-lights follow.
― Smyly was incredible. The lefty worked all quadrants of the zone, and kept Boston’s hitters off balance by relying upon his 92 mph fastball (53 thrown/35 strikes/6 whiffs), 78 mph slider (19 thrown/13 strikes/6 whiffs), 86 mph cutter (22 thrown/18 strikes/7 whiffs) and 81 mph changeup (9 thrown/4 strikes).
Smyly only got into trouble in the third against the bottom of the order, walking Chris Young and Ryan Hanigan before Jackie Bradley Jr. singled to center to load the bases with no outs. Yet Smyly wiggled out of trouble by coaxing a Mookie Betts 5-2 fielder’s choice before Dustin Pedroia grounded into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.
Betts’ groundout started a streak of 17 retired batters in a row, including eight by strikeout. The three baserunners against Smyly were the only ones for Boston in the contest.
Smyly tied his career high for a second straight start, fanning 11. The southpaw walked two and allowed just the one hit on 105 pitches (70 strikes; 67% K%).
― As documented by Ian Browne and Bill Chastain (MLB.com),
When Chris Young popped up in foul territory on the first-base side of the field with one out in the eighth, first baseman Logan Morrison and catcher Curt Casalicharged after the ball. The surprise came when Smyly entered the race and ended up making the catch with Morrison taking out his legs near the Red Sox’s dugout. Once the dust cleared, everybody was fine and Smyly had recorded the second out of the inning the hard way.
― After throwing 66 pitches and 5-2/3 innings on Saturday, Erasmo Ramirez entered the game and worked a perfect ninth, inducing a pair of ground outs and a strikeout. All nine pitches thrown by Erasmo crossed the plate as strikes. I’d imagine he would be good to go Friday should Kevin Cash choose to start him against the Yankees.
― Alex Colome followed Ramirez with a 1-2-3 tenth for his second save.
― From the third inning on, Tampa Bay’s hurlers retired 23 batters in a row.
― Rays pitching racked up 14 K’s (11 by Smyly).
― Mired in a 1-25 stretch, Kevin Kiermaier drove in the go-ahead run on a no-doubter to right field off Matt Barnes in the 10th, the sixth Boston pitcher of the night. It was The Outlaw’s first homer of the year, and the second time in as many years that he led the Rays to victory via the extra inning long-ball.
― Later in the tenth, Logan Forsythe ― who reached base four times ― doubled off the Monstah with one out, yet Logan Morrison flew out to center to put Tampa Bay behind the eight-ball. After Evan Longoria was walked intentionally, Tommy Layne entered the game in relief. Faced with the decision to bat Corey Dickerson vs. a tough lefty, or a right-handed pinch hitter, Cash opted to go with the red-hot Brandon Guyer.
Guyer hit a bullet to third, but right at Travis Shaw. The third baseman, however, booted the ball allowing the Rays to load the bases. Desmond Jennings followed with a ground-rule double to right, scoring two more for a three-run lead.
― The Rays did have an early opportunity to plate runs, yet they couldn’t push any runs across the plate. Joe Kelly, who left the game after just 2/3 of an inning with a right shoulder impingement, walked a pair of batters in the first inning before collecting the first two outs of the game. Kelly’s fastball, which normally sits in the mid to upper 90s, sat in the low 90s, and because of it Boston’s skipper opted to go with RHP Heath Hembree, who was just recalled from Pawtucket. With two on and two outs, Hembree struck out Jennings to end the inning. The reliever threw 3-1/3 scoreless innings, striking out four while allowing only two hits.
― The Rays had the leadoff hitter aboard in both of the first two innings, but couldn’t get a runner beyond second base until the tenth inning. Hembree, Robbie Ross Jr., Junichi Tazawa and Craig Kimbrel combined to allow just three hits and three walks over the first nine frames.
― LoMo went 0-5 on the night and is now 2-37 overall. Ouch! Not that he has anything to show for his effort, but Morrison’s two fly-ball outs were well struck. Hopefully that’s a sign he’s getting closer. Conversely, a part of me is convinced that Smyly intentionally tried to hurt him in the collision, thus allowing Steve Pearce to take over at first.
― Prior to Tuesday night, Boston hadn’t been shut out at home in 63 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors. Ahem, consider that streak snapped!
The New What Next
Tampa Bay and Boston play game two of three on Wednesday night at Fenway Park. Chris Archer will take the mound opposite of Rick Porcello. Archer has lost his last six starts dating back to August 2015. Porcello allowed three earned runs on two hits over 6-1/3 innings against Toronto in his last start. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 4/20/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Morrison 1B
Longoria 3B
Dickerson DH
Jennings LF
Miller SS
Souza RF
Kiermaier CF
Conger C
Archer RHP
Noteworthiness
― C Hank Conger is expected to be back behind the plate Wednesday in his first start in nearly a week. Conger allowed five stolen bases last Thursday in the Rays’ loss against Cleveland.
― Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rays are the fourth AL team ever to win a shutout on one hit or fewer in extra innings (’11 Twins, ’76 Rangers, 1903 White Sox). They also join the ’73 Angels and ’66 Indians as the only teams since 1913 to have five games with 10-plus strikeouts by starters in their first 13 games.
