Rays Roster Moves: Rays Activate Cedeno and DFA Teaford, Injury News, Etc

Jacoby Ellsbury is caught in a rundown as third baseman Evan Longoria chases him down between third and home as pitcher Xavier Cedeno looks on. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Jacoby Ellsbury is caught in a rundown as third baseman Evan Longoria chases him down between third and home as pitcher Xavier Cedeno looks on. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

As I wrote previously, the Tampa Bay Rays acquired the recently designated LHP Xavier Cedeno from the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations — he was added to the active roster on Tuesday afternoon. In order to make room for Cedeno on the 25-man roster, the team designated LHP Everett Teaford for assignment. He offers a true LOOGY option following the losses of Jeff Beliveau, who tore the labrum in his left shoulder, and C.J. Riefenhauser was also recently placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Cedeno took the mound for the first time in a Rays uniform Tuesday night, and tossed 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. He walked one (intentional) and struck out another on 15 pitches (6 strikes, 1 whiff). Cedeno threw breaking ball after breaking ball to Brett Gardner and Brian McCann, sandwiched around an IBB of Mark Texiera. Not every pitch was in the zone, yet the Yankees couldn’t get anything on them. He did not allow an inherited runner to score.

Beyond his seventh inning performance Tuesday night, you may be asking who is the Tampa Bay Rays newest acquisition? Let’s delve into that.

Cedeno, 28, is a journeyman pitcher who spent time with three different organizations — Rockies, Astros, and Nationals — prior to his acquisition by Tampa Bay.

His stuff isn’t overpowering, rather Cedeno tends to pitch off a mid-to-upper-80s cutter and a curveball that he uses as a put-away pitch. He also features a low 90’s four-seam fastball (which he uses sparingly) and upper 80’s sinker. The name of his game is deception, and he tends to vary his arm slot — between high three-quarters and low three-quarters — and leg kick based on the situation. That was evident last night.

Brooksbaseball-Chart
Pitch type by usage and velocity. (Credit: Brooks Baseball)

Cedeno’s curveball — especially against lefties — and cutter generate a high number of swings and misses (a combined 31.81% whiff rate between the two). The cutter also has good cut action, which allows him to induce a good amount of weak contact, and force a fair share of flyball outs. His sinker may not be a true swing-and-miss pitch, yet Cedeno is able to force weak contact with; something that bodes well for both he and the Rays when you consider who’s playing behind him.

Pitch Outcomes - from 03/30/2007 to 04/28/2015. (Credit: Brooks Baseball)
Pitch Outcomes – from 03/30/2007 to 04/28/2015. (Credit: Brooks Baseball)

Cedeno has a relatively limited Major League track record, although he did post a 3.77 ERA (3.48 FIP) with a 10.5 K/9 in 31 innings for the 2012 Astros. He was restricted to just 22-1/3 big league innings after his 2012 campaign, tallying a 5.64 ERA along the way. The lefty was solid in 2013 when he faced 23 batters over six innings and posted a 9 K9. Opponents batted .227 against him with a .261 OBP.

Cedeno comes with an outstanding Triple-A track record, especially in 2014 when he amassed a 5-1 record in 39-1/3 innings, slashing a 2.29 ERA/2.37 FIP/13.04 K9/2.75 BB9/.69 HR9/.247 BABIP/80.5% LOB line with Washington’s Triple-A affiliate. He did well in the Puerto Rican winter league at the end of last season, pitching 21-2/3 innings and finishing with a 2.49 ERA while striking out 36 batters giving up just 11 hits.

Noteworthiness

— The Rays got some good news on Tuesday night as LHP Jake McGee made his first rehab appearance with the Charlotte Stone Crabs.  McGee threw a 1-2-3 inning on nine pitches, six strikes.

— Drew Smyly will pitch for the Rays Wednesday afternoon. Masahiro Tanaka was scheduled to start, however he has been placed on the 15-day DL. Michael Pineda will take his place.

— Tampa Bay placed Kirby Yates on the major-league DL with a right pectoral strain. It appears he was hurt before being optioned to Triple-A Durham on April 15. Yates pitched three times for Durham. He becomes the 13th player to go on the DL in April, matching the Rangers for the most in the last 20 years.

— The Rays/Orioles games at Tropicana Field will be General Admission in the lower level only (excluding the DEX Imaging Home Plate Club), and will go on sale to the public at noon ET on Wednesday, April 29. The tickets will be $15 on Friday and Sunday, and $18 on Saturday. The games will start will start at 7:05 Friday and Saturday, and 1:35 on Sunday.

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Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Fall 4-1, Updates on Jennings, Colome, and Baltimore

David DeJesus (pitcured taking batting practice) went 1-4 with a run out of the lead-off spot Monday night. (Photo credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
The New York Yankees snapped the Tampa Bay Rays five-game win streak Monday, breaking a sixth inning 1-1 tie and ultimately rolling to a 4-1 victory. New York now sits atop the AL East at 12-8, while the Rays fell to 11-9 on the season.

Nathan Karns started the game and battled through 4-2/3 innings of inefficient ball. The wheels came off in the fifth when Karns loaded the bases with two outs on a pair of walks and an infield hit. Manager Kevin Cash pulled Karns in favor of RHP Brandon Gomes.

Gomes walked Brett Gardner to force home the game’s first run. As Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) noted, it was the first of nine inherited runners that Gomes had allowed to score. Karns’ final line: 4.2 IP/3 H/1 ER/2 BB/5 K, throwing only six of 19 first-pitch strikes.

Knotted at one, Brandon Gomes — who was pitching for the fifth time in nine days — gave up a well struck solo shot to Brian McCann to right field, before the offensively strapped Carlos Beltran followed with a double off the wall in center. Gomes struck out Chris Young before Cash called upon LHP Everett Teaford to face Stephen Drew and keep the Rays in the game. He was not successful.

Teaford quickly gave up a run double to Drew, giving the Yankees an insurance run. New York tacked a final run with two-outs in the eighth inning, when Jacoby Ellsbury drove in a run on a bases loaded hit by pitch.

Gomes wasn’t pleased with his outing:

It was the first time all year, including spring training and when I was down at Triple-A, that I felt I didn’t throw the ball well.

Tampa Bay tied the game in the top of the sixth against Adam Warren when David DeJesus singled to center, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Steven Souza Jr. moved DeJesus to third on a sac-fly to center field. With the infield in, DeJesus made a great slide around McCann, scoring the tying run on Asdrubal Cabrera’s grounder to second. The Rays tallied six total hits, two by Evan Longoria who’s now 9 for-his-last 11.

The New What Next

Jake Odorizzi will make his fifth start of the season Tuesday nigh against Chase Whitley. Odorizzi has pitched into the seventh inning in all four previous outings. Whitley was called up from Triple-A to make a spot start, giving Masahiro Tanaka five days of rest before his next outing Wednesday. You can read about the pitching match-up in our series preview.

Rays 4/28/15 Starting Lineup

DeJesus LF
Souza Jr. RF
Cabrera SS
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
Kiermaier CF
Beckham DH
Rivera C
Odorizzi RHP

Noteworthiness

— Desmond Jennings is listed as day-to-day because of left knee bursitis. He said this is not an injury that would require a stint on the disabled list. It should be noted, he was dressed and ready to pinch hit Monday night. Alex Colome (pneumonia) should return this weekend.

— The Rays had brief meeting to update the players on the situation in Baltimore. The team will come home this weekend to face the Orioles rather than play in Baltimore. The Orioles will be the home team at Tropicana Field, and the Rays will not shift any previously scheduled home series to Baltimore. Details on game times and ticket information is expected shortly.

Evan Longoria lauded the move as necessary, saying,

It’s different but it’s the right move … The circumstances call for extreme measures.

The decision to play at Tropicana as opposed to in Washington or Philadelphia was a mutual one — both teams felt it was better than playing at a neutral site. The Orioles will get revenues from the games and will be responsible for any expenses, therefore they will keep 100% of the ticket revenue.

Tampa Bay wIll wear gray uniforms, while the Orioles will wear white at the Trop. Other details are being worked out, but a “generic” presentation should be expected, i.e. no usual Rays promos or in game stuff. The soon to be activated Alex Colome will get the start Friday, and will be followed by Chris Archer and Nathan Karns.

On an unrelated side note, Orioles COO John Angelos offered some perspective on the protests in Baltimore, in response to a morning sports radio host:

Brett, speaking only for myself, I agree with your point that the principle of peaceful, non-violent protest and the observance of the rule of law is of utmost importance in any society. MLK, Gandhi, Mandela and all great opposition leaders throughout history have always preached this precept. Further, it is critical that in any democracy, investigation must be completed and due process must be honored before any government or police members are judged responsible.

That said, my greater source of personal concern, outrage and sympathy beyond this particular case is focused neither upon one night’s property damage nor upon the acts, but is focused rather upon the past four-decade period during which an American political elite have shipped middle class and working class jobs away from Baltimore and cities and towns around the U.S. to third-world dictatorships like China and others, plunged tens of millions of good, hard-working Americans into economic devastation, and then followed that action around the nation by diminishing every American’s civil rights protections in order to control an unfairly impoverished population living under an ever-declining standard of living and suffering at the butt end of an ever-more militarized and aggressive surveillance state.

The innocent working families of all backgrounds whose lives and dreams have been cut short by excessive violence, surveillance, and other abuses of the Bill of Rights by government pay the true price, and ultimate price, and one that far exceeds the importances of any kids’ game played tonight, or ever, at Camden Yards. We need to keep in mind people are suffering and dying around the U.S., and while we are thankful no one was injured at Camden Yards, there is a far bigger picture for poor Americans in Baltimore and everywhere who don’t have jobs and are losing economic civil and legal rights, and this makes inconvenience at a ballgame irrelevant in light of the needless suffering government is inflicting upon ordinary Americans.

— The Rays have added LHP Xavier Cedeño to the active roster. LHP Everett Teaford has been designated for assignment.

— It turns out that Rays LHP Drew Smyly was on the Kelly and Michael show Tuesday morning:

Rays Roster Moves: Rays Acquire LHP Xavier Cedeno, Place Jaso On 60-Day DL

Xavier Cedeno throws in the 9th inning of a World Baseball Classic game. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo)
Xavier Cedeno throws in the 9th inning of a World Baseball Classic game. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo)

The Rays announced today that they have acquired recently designated LHP Xavier Cedeno from the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations.

Tampa Bay corresponded by moving John Jaso (left wrist contusion) to the 60-day disabled list in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Cedeno. Since Cedeno isn’t expected join the team for a couple of days, a move to accommodate him on the 25-man is forthcoming.

Cedeno, 28, was recently designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals and quickly acquired by the Dodgers. However, he was designated once more so the Dodgers could select the contract of Sergio Santos. Even though he was expected to be added to the Dodgers’ active roster, Cedeno never appeared in a game with Los Angeles.

For the Rays, Cedeno offers a left-handed relief option following the loss of Jeff Beliveau, who tore the labrum in his left shoulder. Fellow lefty C.J. Riefenhauser was also recently placed on the 15-day disabled list, leaving the Rays even more thin in terms of left handed relief.

The 28-year-old Cedeno has a relatively limited Major League track record, although he did post a 3.77 ERA (3.48 FIP) with a 10.5 K/9 in 31 innings for the 2012 Astros. He was restricteded to just 22-1/3 big league innings after his 2012 campaign, tallying a 5.64 ERA along the way.

Cedeno comes with an outstanding Triple-A track record, especially in 2014 when he amassed a 5-1 record in 39-1/3 innings, slashing a 2.29 ERA/2.37 FIP/13.04 K9/2.75 BB9/.69 HR9/.247 BABIP/80.5% LOB line with Washington’s Triple-A affiliate.

 

The New What Next: Rays vs. Yankees — Series Preview Part Deux

Chris Archer extended his earned run-less streak to 26-2/3 innings with seven innings of shutout ball on Sunday. (Photo credit: the Tampa Bay Rays)
Chris Archer extended his earned run-less streak to 26-2/3 innings with seven strong innings of shutout ball on Sunday. (Photo credit: the Tampa Bay Rays)

Despite a sour start to their most recent home-stand, the Tampa Bay Rays left St. Petersburg on a high-note, sweeping the highest scoring team in the American League in three games. They were also able to finish their most recent nine game home-stand with a successful 5-4 record — giving them a .500 home record for the first time this season. Tampa Bay is now 11-8 and in the midst of a five game win streak.

Next stop the Bronx, where the Rays are set to start a three game set against the Yankees on Monday.

Conventionality aside, I decided to call an audible and compare where the Rays currently sit — 19 games into 2015 season — with that of the previous season.

2014 Record: 9-10
2015 Record: 11-8

2014 Run Differential: +1
2015 Run Differential: +5

2014 Runs Averaged Per Game: 3.95
2015 Runs Averaged Per Game: 4.3

2014 Runs Allowed Per Game: 3.90
2015 Runs Allowed Per Game: 4

2014 Offensive Line Through the First Month of Play: .249 BA/.332 OBP/.379 SLG/.711 OPS/.318 wOBA/.287 BABIP/.130 ISO
2015 Offensive Line Through the First Month of Play: .239 BA/.324 OBP/.398 SLG/.722 OPS/.321 wOBA/.289 BABIP/.159

2014 ERA and FIP though the First Month of Play: 4.41 and 3.77
2015 ERA and FIP though the First Month of Play: 3.75 and 3.79

2014 Longest Winning Streak: 4
2015 Longest Winning Streak: 5

2014 Longest Losing Streak: 4
2015 Longest Losing Streak: 4

2014 Times Shutout by Opponent: 3
2015 Times Shutout by Opponent: 2

2014 Times Opponent Shutout: 1
2015 Times Opponent Shutout: 2

2014 Most Runs Allowed: 12
2015 Most Runs Allowed: 12

2014 Most Runs Scored: 16
2015 Most Runs Scored: 12

2014 Number of Losses By Four Or More Runs: 5
2015 Number of Losses By Four Or More Runs: 3

2014 Win Precentage vs. the AL East: .444
2015 Win Precentage vs. the AL East: .563

I’m not bold enough to make a proclamation that Tampa Bay is better off without Joe Maddon;19 games does not a season make. However, what can be said when comparing apples to apples, the 2015 Rays are a much more competitive (and fun) team than the previous incarnation… And that’s even taking into consideration the fact that they’ve been massively short-handed from the get-go.

Moving forward.

Tampa Bay’s current nine game/10 day road trip marks the first time this season the Rays will play in open air, after playing all 19 of their previous games under a roof (in Miami, Toronto, and St. Petersburg). No major league team has ever gone this far into a season playing all its games under a roof.

Tampa Bay was outscored 19-7 while batting a combined .202 in the prior series against the Yankees. However, the Rays outscored the Blue Jays 21-6 over the last three games, and look poised to replicate their success in new Yankee Stadium, where Tampa Bay has gone 13-6 since 2013. And while Evan Longoria batted a sluggish 1-9 in the three-game home sweep to the Yankees, his bat has heated up since the return of James Loney. Longo improved to 7-7 in his last two games and has gone 11 for 19 during the five game win streak — raising his batting average from .186 to .306, and reaching base in each of his last eight plate appearances.

Longoria was quick to credit the lineup for their recent success, telling the media,

Offensively, we’re top to bottom putting together good at-bats. It’s been fun to watch.

Adam Warren vs. Nathan Karns: Warren will face Tampa Bay for the second time in three starts, having recorded a no-decision in a four-inning effort on April 17. He is coming off a victory in a 13-4 shellacking of Detroit on Wednesday, allowing four runs and five hits in 5-2/3 innings. Karns threw a season-high 108 pitches in six innings Wednesday against Boston, his third consecutive start of 100-plus pitches.

Chase Whitley vs. Jake Odorizzi: Whitley has been recalled from Triple-A, a move that allows the Yankees to incorporate a sixth starter for the first time this year. Whitley is 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA in three starts at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA in 24 games last season. Odorizzi put together his fourth straight quality start Thursday night when he held the Red Sox to one run in 6-2/3 innings.

Masahiro Tanaka vs. Drew Smyly: After a few less than savory starts, Tanaka put together two solid outings — an April 18 win over the Rays and an April 23 no-decision at Detroit. He has allowed just one run and five hits in his last 13-1/3 innings, with two walks and 14 strikeouts. Smyly made his first start of the season Friday night against Toronto. He is 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three career appearances at Yankee Stadium.

Rays and Yankees series starters.
Rays and Yankees series starters.
Rays and Yankees offensive numbers.
Rays and Yankees offensive numbers.
Rays and Yankees by the numbers.
Rays and Yankees by the numbers.

Adam Warren: As I wrote of Warren on the 17th, Warren has been compared to Kevin Correia and Zach Greinke for his four pitch repertoire — fastball (both four and two seam, averages 94 mph), a whiffy change-up (averages 85 mph, has good depth and run), slider/cutter (averages 86 mph, has good depth and run), and curveball (averages 80 mph, has decent depth and run). Like Greinke, Warren’s rising fastball is complemented by good sinking pitches. Warren also tends to get a lot of ground balls with his curve. Key match-ups: Asdrubal Cabrera (1-4), Logan Forsythe (2-6, HR, RBI), Brandon Guyer (1-3), Desmond Jennings (1-4, RBI, 3 BB), Kevin Kiermaier (1-4), James Loney (HR, 5 RBI), Evan Longoria (3-10, BB), Steven Souza Jr. (1-2).

Chase Whitley: Scouting reports have Whitley with a fastball in the low 90s, a change-up that drops into the mid to low 80s, a slider and a sinker. His change-up induced whiffs 23% of the time last season. Though his BB/9 fell dramatically over the last two seasons, it spiked up to 3.18 in Triple-A in his last 17 innings of work. Expect an attempt to force him to pitch over the plate by laying off his pitches below the zone (especially if they’re not quality pitches).

Chase Whitley heat map (Credit: FanGraphs)
Chase Whitley heat map (Credit: FanGraphs)

What more can be said about Whitley? In an interview with DRaysBay, Yankees blogger Neill Keefe thinks we should be excited to watch him throw Tuesday night:

If you’re a Rays fan, you should be celebrating the fact that you get to face Chase Whitley. He pitched to a 5.23 ERA in 75 2/3 innings for the Yankees last year (24 games, 12 starts). He doesn’t strike out many hitters and pitches to contact and has very underwhelming stuff. He relies heavily on location and if that location isn’t there then he will be out in the third inning and the Yankees will be in a massive hole. I’m prepared for his start to not go so well.

Masahiro Tanaka: Need I say anything about the split throwing hurler, who seems back on track? Key match-ups: David DeJesus (3-6), Brandon Guyer (1-2, 2B), James Loney (2-3).

Noteworthiness

— After a great start Sunday, Alex Colome could join the rotation by Friday when the team is in Baltimore. Colome earned the win in his rehab start on Sunday, posting an excellent 6 IP/4 H/1 ER/6 K line on an efficient 63 pitches (45 strikes). On a related side note, Jake McGee is slated to make the first of three rehab appearances on Tuesday.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Rally to Win 4-2, T-Bex Strikes Again, Myers Whines

Erasmo Ramirez pitches in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays. (Photo credit: Eve Edelheit/Tampa Bay Times)
Erasmo Ramirez pitches in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays. (Photo credit: Eve Edelheit/Tampa Bay Times)

The Tampa Bay Rays are in the midst of a four-game winning streak, all in come from behind fashion. Down by a run in the eighth, the Rays scored three runs with two-outs to beat Toronto by a 4-2 margin. At 10-8 on the season, and tied for first place in the AL East, the Rays will go for the series sweep Sunday afternoon, with Chris Archer on the mound. A win would assure at least a .500 record through the first month of play.

Erasmo Ramirez took the bump for the front four innings in this, his second start with the Rays. Erasmo limited the Blue Jays to just one run over four frames, slashing 4 IP/4 H/1 ER/1 BB/2 K/6 GB/0 FB on 58 pitches (40 strikes, 69% K/BB). The only run against him came in the first inning when Devon Travis doubled to right over the head of Steven Souza Jr. with one out. Josh Donaldson followed with a run-scoring single to left-center. Ramirez came back to retire five of the next six batters before getting into trouble in the third, after allowing back-to-back singles from Jose Reyes and Travis. But Ramirez coaxed a big double play, then fanned Edwin Encarnacion to put down the threat and inning.

After manager Kevin Cash pulled Ramirez before the fifth inning, Brandon Gomes tossed two shutout innings. Steve Geltz followed Gomes and gave up a tie breaking solo shot to Russell Martin in the seventh. Down by one, Geltz came back to put down the next three batters (two swinging strikeouts, bunt ground ball out) before handing the ball to Frieri.

Ernesto Frieri impressively struck out the side in the eighth, to earn the win, before Brad Boxberger threw a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. All told, the Rays bullpen only allowed one run over the final five innings.

Don’t look now, but the Tampa Bay Rays’ bullpen has posted a combined 1.14 ERA and 2.78 FIP in the last seven games, while allowing only three earned runs in 23-2/3 innings of work.

On the other end of the stick, the Rays were held in check by LHP Daniel Norris. Prior to the eighth inning, the only Tampa Bay run came in the first after Souza Jr. drew a one-out walk, and scored when Evan Longoria blooped an awkward two-out double off the right field line. Norris settled down from there, lasting seven innings, while giving up just five hits and three walks. Longoria was 3-for-3 against the lefty. Things changed two outs into the eighth.

The three-run uprising started with two-outs in the inning and nobody on, when Evan Longoria (4-for-4 on the night) blooped a single to right against Roberto Osuna. Left handed reliever Brett Cecil was called upon by John Gibbons to face David DeJesus, who singled to right-center — putting runners on the corners. Gibbons summoned closer Miguel Castro, yet James Loney welcomed the righty by ripping a double into the right field corner, tying the game at two. Tim T-Bex Beckham followed, working a 3-0 count before lacing a two-run double off the top of the left field wall. The laser shot was a mere millimeters away from being a three-run shot.

Following the contest, Tim Beckham told the media that he wanted one more chance in the batter’s box after a tough night at the plate. It’s a safe assumption the Rays Republic is happy he got it:

I was just hoping I had a chance to get another at-bat, man, Beckham said. I struck out twice tonight looking. I wasn’t too happy about that. That’s not what I like to do. Nobody likes to do it. But I definitely don’t like to strike out looking. Just wanted to get another AB, and another opportunity to hit the ball hard. Hopefully some runners on base and get some RBIs.

Beckham got the green light on the 3-0 count when he swung at a slider that he thought would clear the wall in left.

I didn’t get it clean off the barrel, but I put a good swing on it. He was throwing the ball pretty hard. Thought I had enough to get it out of here.

Rays win, 4-2. The Blue Jays have dropped two of the first three games in the series, and have won just one of their last 23 series at Tropicana Field.

The New What Next

The Rays will go for the three-game sweep with Chris Archer on the mound. He’ll be opposed by the soft tossing Mark Buehrle. Archer told the media he expects no carry-over when he faces the Blue Jays for the first time since April 16, when Longo was drilled by a pitch an inning after Archer plunked Edwin Encarnacion.

It seemed more like a misunderstanding than anything, Archer said. I’m not going to try and throw 99 (mph) and hit somebody. That’s just dangerous.

You can read about the pitching match-up in our series preview.

Rays 4/26/15 Starting Lineup

Guyer LF
Souza RF
Cabrera DH
Longoria 3B
Forsythe 2B
Loney 1B
Beckham SS
Kiermaier CF
Rivera C
Archer RHP

Noteworthiness

— The four hits by Longoria tied his career high, and was the first time he went four-for-four in the Trop.

— Jennings is listed as day-to-day after leaving the game with left knee soreness.

— Jake McGee threw a 21-pitch bullpen session and is slated to pitch Tuesday for Class-A Charlotte Stone crabs.

— Boo-fucking-hoo. Jays manager John Gibbons talked with the umpires following Beckham’s hit after he was told by someone in the dugout that Charlie Montoyo (Rays third base coach)  may have touched one of the base runners.

You’re not allowed to do that, Gibbons said. But you can’t review that.

— Per Marc Topkin, crybaby of the year Wil Myers still has a hurt heart over the trade which sent him to San Diego. Topkin wrote:

OF Wil Myers, who had a pretty good week for the Padres, needs to decide if he is or isn’t playing to show the Rays up for trading him. He was quoted by mlb.com’s respected Tracy Ringolsby last week saying, “Almost everything I do is to be able to prove them wrong.” But the next day he sought out a San Diego writer to say, “It was completely taken out of context. Everything I’m trying to do is help the Padres win. It has nothing to do with Tampa this year.” Okay, then.

— By this point last season (18 games in) the Rays were 9-9, having been outscored 74-69 and blanked three times. Compare that with this season, where the team has been shutout twice, outscoring opponents 76-75. Not a shabby start to Kevin Cash’s career as a manager.