The Tampa Bay Rays look to finish off the Minnesota Twins, and take the 2016 Knutson Cup, after clinching their first winning homestand of the season last night. The Rays, who won 7-3 Saturday night, is now 6-3 on their 10-game run at the Trop. Making his second start since rejoining the rotation last week, righty Matt Andriese (6-2, 2.72 ERA) will take the hill, opposite of Kyle Gibson (3-6, 4.94 ERA).
The New What Next
Andriese looks to build on his solid start from Tuesday, when he threw four innings of one run ball in his first start since June 25, allowing three hits while striking out three Royals. The righty took Matt Moore’s spot in the rotation, and was limited to 58 pitches in his return to front five. In nine starts this season, Andriese is 6-2 with a 2.72 ERA, notching 57 strikeouts over 76 innings of work. The righty is more than capable of handling himself in the starting rotation — he threw a shutout against the Athletics back on May 14, and collected a pair of seven-inning starts this season while surrendering just one earned run.
Andriese told Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) he should be able to throw closer to 80 pitches this afternoon:
In his only start against Minnesota this season, Andriese earned a win after throwing five innings of three run ball (two earned) on June 4th in Minnesota.
Gibson was hammered over 4-2/3 innings on Tuesday, allowing six runs on ten hits and one walk while striking out only two Indians. He held Cleveland scoreless through the front four innings before falling apart in the fifth. That particular game marked Gibson’s shortest outing since April 22, which hiked his ERA up to 4.94 on the season; this after the righty posted a 3.69 ERA over five starts in his best month of the season. Gibson has not faced Tampa Bay this season, although he is 0-4 with an 8.85 ERA in four starts against Tampa Bay.
You can read more about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 8/7/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Franklin LF
Longoria 3B
Miller SS
Mahtook CF
Dickerson DH
Souza RF
Beckham 1B
Maile C
Andriese RHP
Noteworthiness
— Matt Duffy will join the Durham Bulls tonight for first of a short stretch of rehab games at the Triple-A level. Duffy, went 3-6 in two games with the Charlotte Stone Crabs, however, he did not field any grounders at short. If all goes well, Duffy will join the Rays on Friday in New York.
— The Rays have outscored opponents 93-58 since All-Star break; a +35 run differential. Per FanGraphs BaseRuns, Tampa Bay should be 55-54 on the season, while their Pythagorean Expectation sits at 50-59 — both of which are vastly better than their actual 45-65 W/L record.
— Never forget; 17 years ago today:
Ichiro is in the lineup today, 1 hit away from 3,000. On this date in 1999, @ChickenMan3010 joined the club. #RaysUppic.twitter.com/46ND15RgYa
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 7, 2016
— LOL:
#Yankees Cashman said A-Rod’s play last weekend vs. #Rays may have been tipping point in ownership decision to facilitate departure
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 7, 2016