After coming back from a two-run deficit in the ninth inning last night, thus defeating the Diamondbacks, 3-2, the Tampa Bay Rays look for a series win this afternoon in Phoenix.
At 55-28 on the season, the Rays enter play 27 games over .500, and 5.0 games up on the second-place Orioles in the division.
Yonny Chirinos (3-3, 3.91 ERA, 4.90 FIP) is expected to pitch the bulk innings following Zack Littell (0-1, 6.57 ERA, 5.91 FIP). He’ll pitch opposite Brandon Pfaadt (0-2, 8.37 ERA, 7.16 FIP). You can read more about the matchup below.
Brandon Lowe (lower back inflammation) went 1-for-3 with a strikeout as the DH for the Rookie-level FCL Rays on Monday, in a rehab game. Then, on Tuesday, he drove to Jacksonville to continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham. Yesterday, in his first game with the Bulls, Lowe went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts as the second baseman.
He is expected to play today, take tomorrow off, then play Saturday and Sunday before he’s reevaluated. That would make Tuesday (vs. the Phillies) the earliest possible return from the Injured List.
Calvin Faucher (right elbow inflammation) was reinstated from the Injured List and then optioned to Triple-A Durham, where he will pitch for the Bulls today. The Rays hope to see him with the big-league squad as soon as he shows he’s ready.
We need to get him right, because that type of stuff belongs in our bullpen up here. So if he can get down there, find some consistency, find some rhythm with the sequencing, then (he’ll) get back up here and help us soon.
— Kevin Cash
After being scratched from the lineup on Tuesday due to mid-back tightness, Taylor Walls is expected to be available today.
Walls said he had felt some tightness where the lat and oblique meet the ribcage, for the final few days of Tampa Bay’s last homestand. He still felt it Tuesday and received treatment and “more precautionary measures” to keep it from turning into something significant. The utility infielder said he felt better last night, although Rays’ manager Kevin Cash opted to stay away from using him.
It’s really just whenever the core and that (right) side gets involved. It’s not very drastic. It’s very minimal, but it’s noticeable. … Over the course of those days not really improving, that’s kind of what led us to try to just look at it and see exactly what it was instead of just guessing.
— Taylor Walls
The New What Next
Yonny Chirinos allowed eight runs on nine hits and two walks over 5.1 innings against the Royals on Saturday. He struck out three and threw 96 pitches (63 strikes, 66% strike rate). Chirinos allowed a season-high eight runs, including a solo homer to Drew Waters in the third inning and a three-run shot to Freddy Fermin in the fourth. With a handful of the Rays’ starting options on the 60-day Injured List, Chirinos has been thrust into the rotation for four starts, where he’s posted a 6.43 ERA with a 1.25 K/BB. Overall, he maintains a 3.91 ERA and a 4.90 FIP, with a 1.14 WHIP, and a 1.44 K/BB across 48.1 innings.
Brandon Pfaadt posted an encouraging 3.16 ERA and 5.6 K/BB in 25.2 innings (five starts) with Triple-A Reno since being optioned back to the minors in late May. He struggled to an 8.37 ERA and a 7.16 FIP across his first five major-league starts earlier this season, with a 1.65 WHIP, and a 2.25 K/BB across 23.2 innings. Pfaadt relies primarily on a 94 mph fourseam fastball that has some natural sinking action and an 84 mph slider that sweeps across the zone, while also mixing in an 87 mph changeup that has slight arm-side fade and has some natural sink to it, and a 79 mph curveball that has slight glove-side movement.
You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup is below.
Rays 6/29/23 Starting Lineup
- Díaz 1B
- Franco SS
- Raley LF
- Ramírez DH
- Paredes 3B
- J. Lowe RF
- Mejía C
- Margot CF
- Bruján 2B