With Wander Franco headed to the IL, Taylor Walls will be the heir apparent at short at least until June 10. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

After an ugly 9-5 loss against the Rangers on Monday, the Tampa Bay Rays will look to get back on the winning side of the ledger tonight.

At 28-20 on the season, Tampa Bay enters play eight games over .500. The Rays have now dropped the opening game of their last three series.

Drew Rasmussen got the start Monday and allowed five runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts across three innings. His three walks were a season-high, as were the number of home runs allowed (two), and runs relinquished. It wasn’t a sharp outing for the right-hander, although he’s had few mistakes in 2022, so one can assume this was just a bump in the road. He maintains a 3.47 ERA and a 3.54 FIP, with a 1.09 WHIP and a 3.38 K/BB through 46.2 innings on the season.

Meanwhile, the Rays suffered another loss last night, as Wander Franco (right quad strain) was placed on the 10-Day Injured List. Franco, who has been dealing with hamstring and quad issues for the last month, left last night’s contest with quad tightness after he felt what Rays skipper Kevin Cash described as a “tug” in the same quad muscle that held him out of a few games a bit more than a week ago — which preceded the move. The decision will allow him the chance to heal in full, although the team will be without his bat in the lineup until at least June 10.

It kind of scares me a little bit to go on the IL. I think that’s maybe why I haven’t been playing as well as I have been because I’m scared to go on the IL.

— Wander Franco

After going 2-for-13 against the Yankees over the weekend, the shortstop matched a season-high three hits against Texas on Monday with two RBI and a walk.

Taylor Walls will likely get the majority of the reps at short while Franco is on the shelf, although Vidal Brujan and Isaac Paredes are currently on the roster and can take reps up the middle, too.

Meanwhile, the Rays chose to fill Franco’s spot on the roster with a pitcher, Shawn Armstrong. Bulls’ left-hander Ben Bowden, who was claimed off waivers from Colorado last month, was designated for assignment to create 40-man space. In seven games with the Marlins this season, Armstrong performed to a 10.80 ERA and a 4.94 FIP across seven innings, with an unlucky .360 BABIP, a 1.95 WHIP, and a 1.67 K/BB. Yet, in seven games with Durham, he maintained a 2.32 ERA, and a 1.00 WHIP, with a 5.00 K/BB across seven innings.

The New What Next

Ryan Yarbrough (0-1, 3.98 ERA) will get the start on Tuesday, pitching opposite Martin Perez (3-2, 1.60 ERA).

Ryan Yarbrough allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk while striking out five across 5.1 innings against the Yankees on Thursday. Yarbrough held the Yankees scoreless through five innings although he struggled in his final frame. The left-hander allowed three of the first four hitters he faced to reach base then exited with runners on first and third, and both of them came around to score. It was the longest start of Yarbrough’s season and his fourth consecutive outing having allowed two or fewer earned runs. The southpaw now maintains a 3.98 ERA and a 3.73 FIP, with a 1.38 WHIP and a 2.5 K/BB across 20.1 frames on the season. The left-hander is 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three career outings (two starts) against the Rangers.

Martin Perez allowed one run on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts across seven innings against the Athletics on Thursday. For the seventh straight start, Perez limited the opposing offense to one run or fewer as Oakland was only able to scratch across one run in the fourth inning. Despite the excellent stretch and a 1.12 ERA across 48.1 innings on the season, Perez has won just three games as Texas is scoring just 3.7 runs per game during the streak. On the season, Perez maintains a 1.60 ERA and a 2.43 FIP, with a 0.99 WHIP, and 3.14 K/BB across 56.1 innings, although a 3.65 xFIP indicates Perez’s ERA stands to increase some. He relies primarily on a 93 mph four-seam fastball, a 79 mph curveball with 49 inches of drop, an 84 mph changeup, an 89 mph sinking cutter, and a 92 mph cut fastball. Superlatives aside, Perez is 2-6 with a 6.03 ERA in 13 career starts against Tampa Bay. Key Matchups: Randy Arozarena (3-9, HR, RBI), Yandy Diaz (7-19, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, BB), Wander Franco (1-2, 2B, 2 RBI), Francisco Mejia (1-2), Mike Zunino (8-26, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup is below.

Rays 5/31/22 Starting Lineup

  1. Margot CF
  2. Ramirez 1B
  3. Díaz 3B
  4. Arozarena LF
  5. Paredes 2B
  6. Mejía DH
  7. Zunino C
  8. Walls SS
  9. Bruján RF