Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Jennings and Smyly Lead Rays to 2-1 Win

Logan Forsythe is congratulated by Kevin Kiermaier after scoring against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning. Forsythe scored on a single by Desmond Jennings. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Logan Forsythe is congratulated by Kevin Kiermaier after scoring against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning. Forsythe scored on a single by Desmond Jennings. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Ben Margot)
After putting together a shaky start against the Rangers, Drew Smyly bounced back to posit his first win in 358 days. Smyly tossed 5-2/3 innings of scoreless ball, while Desmond Jennings homered and drove in both runs, as the Tampa Bay Rays survived a challenging ninth and beat the Oakland Athletics by a 2-1 margin, on Friday. Tampa Bay now is back at .500, only two games out in the Wildcard race.

Smyly scattered seven singles while fanning two throughout his start. He may not have been spectacular, but he was good enough to keep Oakland at bay. The lefty focused more on pitching to contact, and — playing off the Athletics aggressiveness at the plate — forced more than his share of weak pop ups and fly balls. More importantly though, his command was much better and he was able to locate all of his pitches.

It just helps when you can locate all your pitches, Smyly said. In Texas I was pretty much throwing two pitches: fastball, slider. Today I threw some changeups, I threw a lot of curveballs, my slider was good. All in all it felt good out there.

And while he only struck out two, both K’s came in crucial moments.

In the fifth inning, after retiring the first two batters, Smyly gave up back-to-back singles to Coco Crisp and Marcus Semien, bringing Billy Burns to the plate. The lefty got Burns to swing through an elevated fastball on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to end the threat.

Smyly allowed three singles in the sixth, sandwiched around a Danny Valencia liner to left. With the bases loaded and one out, Smyly struck out Brett Lawrie for the second out — spelling the end of his night, and bringing RHP reliever Brandon Gomes to the mound. Gomes got pinch-hitter Stephen Vogt to pop out, then came back out to post an impressive 1-2-3 seventh. He’s now collected 26 outs without allowing a baserunner. Steve Geltz then worked a perfect eighth.

Shifting gears a bit, Tampa Bay took an early one run lead in the second inning, after Logan Forsythe was hit by a pitch. Forsythe was wild pitched to second, and came home on a one-out single to left by Desmond Jennings.

Jennings also provided an all too important insurance run in the ninth, hammering a ball into the upper deck off reliever Evan Scribner for his first homer of the season.

Tampa Bay had numerous other opportunities to add to its advantage against starter Chris Bassitt.

Asdrubal Cabrera started the fifth with a bunt single and advanced to second on a Jennings groundout. Kevin Kiermaier reached on an infield single off Bassitt’s glove, putting runners at the corners, then Curt Casali walked to load the bases. John Jaso hit the ball hard…yet right into a 4-6-3 double play.

Then in the sixth, Grady Sizemore hit a leadoff double, but the Rays were unable to advance him.

Sigh…another wasted opportunity in the seventh. Kevin Kiermaier, who reached on a fielder’s choice, was moved to third on Curt Casali’s double to the left-field corner. Kiermaier got a good jump off first, and his great speed — combined with Crisp’s weak arm — made for an excellent scoring opportunity, but Charlie Montoya put up the stop sign. Jaso was then hit with a 1-0 pitch, which loaded the bases and sounded the death knell for Bassitt. It also set up one of the more odd moments in baseball, as ambidextrous hurler Pat Venditte took them mound in relief.

Per an MLB rule change, it is the switch pitcher’s responsibility to designate which hand he intends to use when pitching to the next batter. From that point, he has to throw from that side regardless if a pinch hitter is used. Grady Sizemore was pinched for the switch hitting Daniel Nava — not Brandon Guyer or Tim Beckham — even though Venditte was already relegated to throwing as a lefty for that particular plate appearance. Nava popped out to end the prime scoring opportunity.

Up by two runs, Brad Boxberger took over in the ninth. Josh Reddick lined-out to right to start the inning, but Brett Lawrie and Stephen Vogt went back-to-back with singles to put a pair on with one out. Boxberger followed by uncorking a wild pitch which moved the tying runs into scoring position. Coco Crisp scored the Athletics’ first run on a blooped a single to center that was just out the reach of Cabrera. Kiermaier, who fielded the play, tried to throw behind Sam Fuld at second, but the throw was errant and allowed the former Ray to move up to third. Crisp at first was paid no attention and swiped second, putting the tying and winning runs into scoring position. However, Boxberger struck out an over anxious Semien and got Billy Burns to fly out to left, ending the game. For Boxberger it was his 30th save.

The New What Next

Erasmo Ramirez (10-4, 3.57) will takes the mound Saturday for the Rays, opposite of the American League ERA leader Sonny Gray (12-5, 2.04). Ramirez yielded two earned runs in 5-2/3 innings against the Astros on Monday. The righty has lost his last five starts against Oakland, and is 0-6 with a 5.26 ERA against them in his career. Gray is 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA in four career starts against Tampa Bay. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.

Rays 8/22/15 Starting Lineup

Jaso DH
Sizemore RF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
Cabrera SS
Jennings LF
Kiermaier CF
Casali C
Ramirez RHP

Noteworthiness

— Brad Boxberger, after his messy outing and tough save:

You take the end result, definitely. A win’s a win no matter how it is. I still feel I have a lot of work to do. When things are not going your way you can really tell they’re not going your way.

 

Rays 8/21/15 Starting Lineup, Etc

Driving by the Giants’ picturesque park in San Francisco before heading across the bay to the not-picturesque Athletics’ park where the Rays will play tonight. (Photo and caption courtesy of Marc Topkin)

Rays 8/21/15 Starting Lineup

Jaso DH
Sizemore RF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
Cabrera SS
Jennings LF
Kiermaier CF
Casali C
Smyly LHP

Noteworthiness

— The Rays called Jake McGee’s arthroscopic knee surgery a success. He is (still) expected to miss 6-8 weeks, putting a return during the regular season in question.

— Thursday was the ninth 1-0 shutout win in the past two seasons for Tampa Bay, which is tops in the majors. What’s more, Chris Archer, Matt Garza (2008), James Shields (2008) and Joe Kennedy (2002) are the only Rays to throw a complete game, one-hitter. Archer was the first to do it in a 1-0 win.

— Do forget to read about tonight’s pitching matchup (and so much more) in our Rays vs. A’s series preview.

The New What Next: Rays vs Athletics, Part Two — A Series Preview

Erasmo Ramirez throws in the first inning against the Houston Astros on August 17, 2015. (Photo Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Erasmo Ramirez throws in the first inning against the Houston Astros on August 17, 2015. (Photo Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images)

It would a massive understatement to say that the Tampa Bay Rays westward trip has been disappointing. First they were swept by the Rangers in three games, then, after piling on the runs in Monday’s series opener with the Astros, Tampa Bay dropped the next two games in walkoff fashion. The team closed out their stint in Houston with a big shutout of the Astros to split the series. That’s all in the past now, as the Rays prepare for the third (and final) leg of this western excursion in Oakland, where they’ll take on the Athletics in a three-game weekend series.

If there was one saving grace in the previous series, the starting rotation was — for lack of a better word — dominant. The starters, combined, allowed just four total runs (1.33 ERA), culminating in a one-hit/11 strikeout complete game shutout by Chris Archer. Another saving grace, despite performing beneath their 10 hit plateau in the series finale, Tampa Bay fared well at the plate…at least as it relates to getting men on base. Getting them home was a completely different story. They collected 42 total hits against Houston, which is great, yet the team went 9-for-40 wRISP (.225 BA).

Oakland looks to extend its home winning streak to six games after sweeping a two-game set from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The victories, however, come on the heels of an 0-7 road trip. This will be the final time these two meet this season. They played a four-game set back in May at the Trop, which saw each team win a pair.

Kevin Cash will start Drew Smyly, Erasmo Ramirez, and Jake Odorizzi over the next three days. Smyly (0-2, 4.35 ERA) allowed five earned runs on seven hits in four innings Sunday in his return to the rotation from the 60-day DL. He is 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA in three career appearances at the Oakland Coliseum, although he did posit a decent 5.1 IP/3 ER/6 K outing there last season on August 5. Ramirez (10-4, 3.57 ERA) continued to pitch well Monday against the Astros when he picked up his 10th win of the season. Since permanently joining the starting rotation on May 14, Ramirez has made 17 starts and gone 10-3. Odorizzi (6-6, 3.02) tossed six innings of one run ball Tuesday night, scattering six hits en route to a no-decision. He is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in one career start against the Athletics.

Rays and Athletics series starters over the last 14 days.
Rays and Athletics series starters over the last 14 days.
Rays and Athletics offensive production over the last 14 days.
Rays and Athletics offensive production over the last 14 days.

Chris Bassitt (1-4, 2.60 ERA): Bassitt is 1-2 with a 2.34 ERA and a .200 opponents’ batting average in five starts since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville on July 25. His ERA during that span is the eighth lowest in the American League. The 26 year-old righty relies primarily on a 94 mph sinker, and a 95 mph fastball with natural sinking action and slight arm-side run. He also mixes in an 86 mph slider and a 72 mph curveball — both which he uses to coax fly balls — and an 84 mph change.

Sonny Gray (12-5, 2.04 ERA): Gray yielded one earned run in 5-2/3 innings in a loss to the Orioles on Monday. Although he allowed just one earned run, Gray wasn’t at his best after missing his last start with back spasms. He swapped places in the rotation with Kendall Graveman to pitch on five days’ rest instead of six. The righty has given up just three earned runs in 21-2/3 innings in August. Gray started in the previous series against Tampa Bay, where he pitched five shutout innings before leaving after only 67 pitches with a right ankle contusion. Key matchups: Logan Forsythe (1-2), Kevin Kiermaier (2-4, HR, 3 RBI), James Loney (4-9, 2 BB), Evan Longoria (3-11, RBI, BB), Daniel Nava (1-2, RBI), Grady Sizemore (2-2, 2B, RBI).

Kendall Graveman (6-9, 4.27 ERA): Graveman has lost each of his past two starts, surrendering a combined 10 runs (eight earned) during that span. He has only made it through the sixth inning once in his past seven outings. The sinker/cutter/change-up/fastball throwing righty blanked the Rays over six innings on May 23, scattering just three hits. Key matchups: Logan Forsythe (1-3, 2B), Evan Longoria (1-3).

Noteworthiness

— Prior to Archer’s complete game gem Thursday night, a Rays pitcher hadn’t thrown a complete game in nearly a year, since Drew Smyly’s gem at Toronto on August 22, 2014, the 154 games in between the longest running streak by an American League team.

— Archer reached another milestone, his sixth strikeout Thursday got him to 200 for the season, joining Scott Kazmir (team-record 239 in 2007), David Price (2011-12) and James Shields (2011-12) as the only Rays to do so.

— Archer also did something that hadn’t been done in a decade:

— As it relates to Drew Smyly’s last start… Smyly expects to pitch better Friday against the Athletics than he did when he allowed five runs in four innings at Texas, on Sunday.

I’m healthy and I feel good, my arm feels good, Smyly said. I had a bad game. I’m looking forward to Oakland. I’m not thinking about the injury, I’m not thinking about Texas. It’s one game. People have bad games. Hopefully I can pitch better. That’s what it comes down to, just pitching better. And I think with more repetitions and more bullpens and more games, I can only go up.

Smyly’s fastball velocity against the Rangers was in the high 80s, although it’s not as much a concern as command, and that getting his curveball under control will be a big plus.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Fall Again in Extras, 3-2

Nathan Karns pitches during the second inning on August 19, 2015 in Houston. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Nathan Karns pitches during the second inning on August 19, 2015 in Houston. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays had a chance to hand Dallas Keuchel his first loss of the season at home, but for the second consecutive game the team couldn’t collect insurance runs late, and the bullpen lost a late lead. The Rays fell 3-2 in 13 innings, and are now 2-10 in extras this year. What follows isn’t a complete recap of the game, rather a few brief points of conversation to mull over.

― Aside from a mistake in the first inning, Nathan Karns was incredible. Relying heavily upon his off-speed stuff, against the fastball hunting Astros, Karns arguably bested Dallas Keuchel, posting an impressive 6 IP/6 H/1 ER/1 BB/8 K/1 HR outing on 84 pitches (53 strikes). For him to take a no-decision shows a lack of justice in this world.

― Xavier Cedeno followed Karns by retiring the side in the seventh. It was his 15th straight scoreless outing, all without allowing a walk, setting a franchise record.

― The inability to get the insurance run in the eighth proved costly, as Brad Boxberger allowed the tying run in the ninth. Boxberger started the frame by getting Jed Lowrie to hit a bad luck soft popper to shallow left, but the ball fell into play against the shift for a bloop double. Then, on a 1-2 pitch to Preston Tucker, Boxberger uncorked a wild pitch to the screen, allowing Lowrie to advance 90 feet. Tucker went down swinging for the first out, bringing Evan Gattis to the plate. Boxberger was able to coax the soft grounder he so badly needed, however, it rolled past the drawn-in infield, plating a run and tying the score at two. Luis Valbuena grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, sending the game to extras.

Oh, it’s the most frustrating thing ever, because you can’t look at something and change something. It’s just a matter of it’s just not going your way that day, or a couple of days, whatever it is.
― Boxberger, on throwing well but not getting the results

― After Brad Boxberger allowed the lead to slip away, Brandon Gomes entered in relief and pitched two superb innings for just the third time this season; the last time he did so was April 29 against the Yankees. Gomes, who also leaned heavily on his off-speed stuff, retired all six of the batters he faced, while racking up four whiffs. He’s now retired 22 consecutive batters over 7-1/3 innings.

― Although they racked up 10 hits, the Rays posited an ugly .200 batting average wRISP (2-for-10). The egregious lack of scoring bit them at the beginning of the game, when they had runners on the corners with one out in the first inning, and again in the eighth.

About the eighth inning… 

Keuchel’s night was done after Curt Casali and Brandon Guyer tagged him with back-to-back base hits. Chad Qualls entered the game and quickly struck out Desmond Jennings. Evan Longoria followed with a single to left, but Casali ― running from second ― was held at third. Qualls fanned Logan Forsythe and Asdrubal Cabrera to end the bases loaded threat. The Rays got just one more opportunity to score in the 12th after James Loney doubled into the left-field corner with one out, however, Kevin Kiermaier fouled out and Rene Rivera went down swinging after an extended at-bat.

― Me, playing backseat manager… I would have thrown Alex Colome in the ninth. Colome needed only 10 pitches to buzz through the Astros’ order in a 1-2-3 eighth.

The New What Next

Chris Archer (10-9, 2.93 ERA) will start the final game of the four-game series, opposite of Collin McHugh (13-6, 4.09 ERA). Archer got roughed up in Texas on Saturday when he allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits in 5-1/3 innings against the Rangers. He is 2-1 with a 1.09 ERA in four career starts against the Astros. According to Roger Mooney (Tampa Tribune), Archer won’t change his approach if the Astros have the same aggressive approach as the Rangers:

No, because if they execute my pitch they get out and I have less pitches. I don’t mind them being more aggressive. I just have to execute at a higher level or just continue to execute, because what I’ve been doing this year has been successful and I’m going to continue to do that.

McHugh, who has a 2.99 ERA in his last 11 starts, finished with a no-decision in his last start, scattering just four hits over seven innings of one-run ball in the Astros’ loss to Detroit on Saturday. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.

Rays 8/20/15 Starting Lineup

Jaso DH
Sizemore RF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
Cabrera SS
Jennings LF
Kiermaier CF
Rivera C
Archer RHP

Noteworthiness

― Jake McGee was diagnosed as having a torn meniscus in his left knee that he sustained in Tuesday night’s game. You can read more about it in our updated piece.

― The Rays 10 walkoff losses are the most in MLB, one shy of the team record set in 2002. It was the eighth time they’ve had walkoff losses to straight days, and the second time this season.

Jake McGee to Receive Left Knee Surgery

Jake McGee's roster status could be up in the air. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
Jake McGee’s roster status could be in jeopardy. (Photo Credit: Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
Update: Jake McGee received an MRI on his left knee this afternoon, and the diagnosis doesn’t sound good. McGee was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee, and is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on Friday in St. Petersburg.

The left-handed reliever is expected to miss six-to-eight-weeks, although the team is not ruling out a return during the season or playoffs. 

McGee missed the first month of the season following December elbow surgery. He felt something in his knee during Tuesday’s game, and was sent home to receive tests from the Rays team doctor, Orthopaedic Surgeon Koco Eaton.

LHP Enny Romero, who was sent down by the Rays on Tuesday, has been recalled from Triple-A Durham. 

RHP Brad Boxberger spoke about the loss of McGee and the state of the ‘pen before Thursday night’s game: 

It sucks. That’s probably the easiest way to put it. We lost (RHP Kevin) Jepsen (who was trraded to the Twins) earlier, and now we lose McGee. It’s definitely going to be a different look in the bullpen for the rest of the year. 

Cash was asked what we should expect out of the bullpen with McGee on the shelf. The Rays skipper said they will use several pitchers to take McGee’s late-inning role, including lefty Xavier Cedenno and righties Steve Geltz, Brandon Gomez and Alex Colome, who nearly threw an immaculate nine pitch inning on Wednesday. According to Topkin, Cash also said McGee’s absence doesn’t automatically make Boxberger the fulltime closer, that there could still be situations where Boxberger pitches in the eighth and one of the others closes the game. 

The team will have a better idea after Friday’s surgery of how realistic it would be to think McGee could return before the end of the regular season on October 4.

Jake McGee’s status on the active roster could be jeopardy, as the left handed reliever departed Houston prior to Wednesday night’s contest against the Astros. Tampa Bay Rays’ manager Kevin Cash told the media that McGee felt something on the second to last pitch of his extended 1-2/3 IP outing Tuesday night, although he didn’t inform the training staff until after the game. As of now the extent of the injury is unclear.

We’re hopeful that it’s not something that’s too bad, Cash said.

According to Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times), the team sent McGee back to St. Petersburg in part because he was not going to be available tonight or possibly Thursday anyway after throwing a season-high 33 pitches on Tuesday.

Cash was asked if McGee would rejoin them in Oakland if nothing serious was found in the MRI and subsequent exam Thursday by Koco Eaton (Orthopaedic Surgeon for the Rays), to which he responded that he wasn’t sure, noting the team is off Monday — a suggestion, per Topkin, that McGee might need a few days off.

In McGee’s absence, the team will likely depend upon RHP Steve Geltz, who leads the American League with 58 appearances, and LHP Xavier Cedeno in higher leverage situations. The recently recalled RHP Matt Andriese is also available out of the bullpen, as Enny Romero was optioned back to Triple-A Durham following last night’s game.