After defeating the Tigers on Saturday, 7-2, the Rays look to win the series and earn their 90th victory of the season this afternoon, in Detroit.
At 89-53 on the season, Tampa Bay enters play 36-games above .500 and boasts the best mark in the American League. The Rays still sit atop the AL East by 9.0 games and have a magic number of 11 with 20 games left to play.
The team has activated RHP Nick Anderson (right elbow sprain) from the 60-day Injured List, as well as OF Brett Phillips (right ankle sprain) from the 10-day IL. To make room on the active roster, the Rays placed RHP Chris Archer (left hip discomfort) on 10-day IL and designated RHP Shawn Armstrong for assignment. It’s unclear exactly what type of hip injury the Archer is dealing with, although it was substantial enough to shorten his Saturday start after four innings (more on his outing below). A firm diagnosis of the injury — which is currently being called “left hip discomfort” — should become available within the next couple of days, as should a timeframe for his expected return.
Chris Archer was effective on Saturday, allowing one run on two hits and a walk while striking out two across four innings. Detroit’s lone run again the right-hander came in the fourth inning after Jonathan Schoop hit a double, then came around to score on Miguel Cabrera’s RBI base hit. Otherwise, despite a lot of loud contact against the right-hander, the Archer kept the Tigers in check on 55 pitches (11% SwStr%). His fastball velocity sat in the 92 mph – 94 mph range, although the velo on his slider bumped down a touch.
On the season, Archer now maintains a 4.66 ERA and a 4.25 FIP, with a 2.63 K/BB, and a 1.34 WHIP across 19.1 innings.
Dietrich Enns was the hero on the bump last night, dominating the Tigers over the next four frames. The only base runner he allowed came on a Taylor Walls error. The southpaw struck out six and threw 44 of 59 pitches for strikes (75% strike rate), and earned his first career win.
All told, Kevin Kiermaier and Joey Wendle each collected a pair of extra-base hits, including Joey Forearms’ 10th homer of the season.
THE NEW WHAT NEXT
Luis Patiño (4-3, 4.65 ERA) will get the start Sunday, pitching opposite of Tarik Skubal (8-12, 4.30 ERA).
Luis Patiño allowed four runs on six hits and three walks across 2.2 innings on Sunday against Minnesota. He struck out four. Most of the damage against Patiño came in the second inning when he allowed three runs on four hits and a walk. It was his shortest start since April and just his second time giving up more than three runs in his last seven turns. He now owns a 4.65 ERA and a 4.62 FIP, with a 2.48 K/BB, and a 1.35 WHIP through 60 innings on the season.
Tarik Skubal allowed two runs on four hits over three innings on Monday against Pittsburgh. He struck out four. Skubal served up a two-run homer to Kevin Newman in the first inning before recording an out, however, he settled in after that, retiring the final eight batters he faced while 36-of-50 pitches for strikes (72% strike rate). The 24-year-old left-hander has given up two runs or fewer in five of his last six outings, lowering his season ERA to 4.30. Overall, Skubal maintains a 4.30 ERA and a 4.99 FIP, with a 3.42 K/BB, and a 1.29 WHIP through 136.0 innings on the season. He relies primarily on a whiffy 95 mph four-seam fastball that has some natural sinking action and a hard 87 mph slider, while also mixing in a 95 mph sinker, an 82 mph changeup that has surprising cutting action, and a 74 mph curveball that boasts exceptional bite.
You can read about the series in our preview, and the starting lineup is below.
RAYS 9/12/21 STARTING LINEUP
- Arozarena LF
- Margot RF
- Cruz DH
- Díaz 3B
- Luplow 1B
- Walls SS
- Wendle 2B
- Mejía C
- Phillips CF
- Patiño P