2 Phillies staffers contract COVID; all ballpark activity canceled - WHYY
The Rays look for a season sweep of the Phillies tonight at Citizen’s Bank Park.

After a 3-1 defeat of the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Rays look for a season sweep of the Phillies tonight at Citizen’s Bank Park.

At 78-48 on the season, Tampa Bay enters play 30-games over .500 for the first time this season and leads New York by four games in the division.

The Rays scored twice in the eighth inning last night after Nelson Cruz hit a go-ahead double that plated a pair. Not only did it give them a 3-1 lead, but they now have scored an MLB high 91 runs in that inning and boast a 102 run differential from the seventh inning on.

The New What Next

Ryan Yarbrough (7-4, 4.57 ERA) will get the start for Tampa Bay, Pitching opposite of Zack Wheeler (10-8, 2.77 ERA).

Ryan Yarbrough tossed five scoreless frames and allowed just one hit and no walks while striking out three against the Orioles on Wednesday. Making his return from the COVID-19 injured list, the left-hander worked as the bulk pitcher behind Louis Head, and the arrangement proved to be favorable. Prior to being activated, Yarbrough said he didn’t feel 100% after he contracted a breakthrough infection, however, that didn’t him from excelling in his first game back. Yarbrough tossed 70 pitches in that outing and should be able to push his count closer to the 80-to-90 range tonight. Yarbrough struck out a season-high eight in a 5-3 win over the Phillies on May 29th. He was charged with two runs in that start over 4.1 innings.

Zack Wheeler allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk across 6.2 innings on Thursday. He struck out seven. Wheeler pitched a complete game against the Mets earlier in August, yet his recent performances have left a lot to be desired with Thursday’s outing not being any different. He has allowed at least four runs in three of his last four turns and has posted a 4.34 ERA across 29 innings in that span. On the season, Wheeler maintains a 2.77 ERA and a 2.53 FIP, with a 1.00 WHIP and a 5.39 K/BB across 168.2 innings. He allowed three runs on four hits (including a homer) and three two walks across seven innings against the Rays previously this season. Key Matchups: Ji-Man Choi (1-3, RBI), Yandy Díaz (1-2, RBI), Manuel Margot (3-12, 2B), Austin Meadows (2-7, HR, 2 RBI, BB), Joey Wendle (1-3), Mike Zunino (2-3, RBI)

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

Rays 8/25/21 Starting Lineup

  1. Lowe 2B
  2. Franco SS
  3. Wendle 3B
  4. Arozarena LF
  5. Phillips RF
  6. Díaz 1B
  7. Kiermaier CF
  8. Mejía C
  9. Yarbrough LHP

Noteworthiness

— Chris Archer (left hip tightness) will throw a bullpen session today. If all goes well, he would start again on Sunday in Baltimore.

— RHP Pete Fairbanks threw a scoreless inning in a rehab outing for Triple-A Durham on Tuesday. J.P. Feyereisen threw 1.1 scoreless frames in the same game. Rays skipper Kevin Cash said that Fairbanks and Feyereisen are the closest to returning after right-hander Matt Wisler, who could be activated on Friday.

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