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.
Enter Snellzilla.
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.
Welcome to the bigs, Blake!
In honor @snellzilla’s promotion to @RaysBaseball, BLAKE SNELL DOT GIF pic.twitter.com/74GmMACpiL
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) April 22, 2016
All the Blake Snell GIFs pic.twitter.com/Ne7vkGmmx0
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) April 22, 2016
A look at Blake Snell when he got the call… Not really. Would’ve been funny though. Go get ’em @snellzilla11. pic.twitter.com/5jFmun0265
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) April 22, 2016