This must be the place, I can tell by your glare. (Photo Credit: Marc Topkin)

After dropping a second consecutive game in Arlington, 3-0, the Tampa Bay Rays look to start the month of June with a win tonight.

At 28-21 on the season, Tampa Bay enters play seven games over .500. They went 16-12 in May after going 12-9 in April.

Without both Wander Franco (for approximately two weeks) and Brandon Lowe, the Rays were shut out by American League ERA leader Martin Perez. Franco was placed on the 10-Day Injured List yesterday.

Ryan Yarbrough pitched better than the results might suggest on Tuesday, allowing three runs on six hits and two hit batsmen while striking out three across 6.2 innings. Yarbrough gave up three runs in the fourth inning on homers by Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia. He nearly completed the seventh inning but hit a batter and allowed a bunt single with two outs before being pulled. It was his longest outing of the season by more than an inning. While the lefty has demonstrated good control over his career, walking 2.0 batters per nine innings, he has plunked five batters in 27 innings this season after leading the league in hit batsmen two seasons ago. On the season, Yarbrough maintains a 4.00 ERA and a 4.55 FIP, with a 1.26 WHIP, and a 2.50 K/BB.

The New What Next

Jeffrey Springs (2-2, 1.62 ERA) will get the start tonight, pitching opposite Jon Gray (1-2, 5.56 ERA).

Jeffrey Springs gave up just two runs on five hits over six innings on Friday against the Yankees. He struck out six without walking a batter. It was a strong performance from the southpaw, who tossed 80 pitches (56 strikes, 70% strike rate) in his first quality start of the season. However, Springs served up a pair of solo homers in the fourth inning and had no margin for error. Springs has a 1.62 ERA and a 2.96 FIP on the season, with a 0.84 WHIP, and 4.75 K/BB across 33.1 innings on the season. Springs is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 2.1 career innings against Texas.

Jon Gray surrendered five runs on five hits and three walks over six frames on Friday against Oakland. He struck out five. All five runs charged to Gray came during a nightmare third inning that was capped off by Sean Murphy and Chad Pinder launching back-to-back solo homers. The right-hander had gone four straight starts without allowing a homer since he coughed up a pair against Seattle on April 19. He now sports a disappointing 5.56 ERA and a 4.02 FIP, with a 2.46 K/BB through 34 innings. Gray relies primarily on a 95 mph four-seam fastball with slight arm-side run and an 85 mph slider with short glove-side cut, while also mixing in an 89 mph changeup. Key Matchups: Francisco Mejia (2-5), Harold Ramirez (1-3)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs Rangers — chaos in Tejas

Rays 6/1/22 Starting Lineup

  1. Kiermaier CF
  2. Margot LF
  3. Choi 1B
  4. Diaz 3B
  5. Arozarena DH
  6. Walls SS
  7. Phillips RF
  8. Mejia C
  9. Brujan 2B

Noteworthiness

— There has been some loud, and frankly obnoxious, chatter on Twitter of late from the Move the Rays to Tampa crowd. Our response, via Instagram, follows.