After dropping their first game of a six-game road trip, the Tampa Bay Rays look to bounce back tonight with lefty Drew Smyly (3-11, 5.14 ERA) on the mound. He’ll be opposed by RHP Marco Estrada (7-4, 2.92) and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Smyly pitched seven quality innings in a no-decision against the Royals on Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out 10. After a rough first half of the season, the southpaw appears to have turned a corner. He’s now collected three straight quality starts for the first time since April, and his 5.14 ERA — although still bloated — is down to its lowest mark since June 20. According to Neil Solondz (Rays Radio), Tampa Bay will look to set a club record for most consecutive games in which starters have allowed three earned runs or fewer, a streak that currently sits at 19. That’s because a scoring change has resulted in a wild pitch by Jake Odorizzi now ruled a passed ball, making two of four runs against Odorizzi unearned.
Estrada is coming off another strong start, winning a 3-1 game over Houston on Wednesday. The righty has gone at least six innings in 17 of 19 starts. Even though he’s been effective overall, July was his worst month of the season (4.24 ERA), and he hadn’t allowed fewer than two runs in an outing since May 30. Estrada is fifth among all big league starters in WHIP at 0.99, outperforming Chris Sale, Jake Arrieta and Madison Bumgarner. The fastball/curveball/changeup/cutter throwing righty is 1-1 with a 0.86 ERA over three starts (and 31-1/3 innings) against the Rays.
Rays 8/9/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller 1B
Mahtook LF
Dickerson DH
Souza RF
Beckham SS
Maile C
Noteworthiness
— Brad Miller, who again gets the start at first base, has driven in a run in six consecutive games — two shy of the franchise record, last accomplished in 2009 (Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist). Tampa Bay had seven extra-base hits last night, giving the team 27 in the last four games played in Toronto. Miller also became the seventh active player to make starts in their career at all three outfield and four infield positions. The other six: Ben Zobrist, Jake Elmore, Sean Rodriguez, Kristopher Negron, Don Kelly, and Brock Holt
— Matt Duffy will again take the field with Triple-A Durham tonight against Pawtucket; he is expected to make his debut with the Rays Friday in New York. Alex Cobb will make another rehab start with Durham tomorrow, while Chase Whitley is expected to toe the rubber for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits on Thursday. Traveling with the Charlotte Stone Crabs, Oswaldo Arcia is expected to play tonight in Jupiter, while Logan Morrison is working out with the team.