After a 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night, the Tampa Bay Rays look for a series split tonight. Tampa Bay is in the midst of a two-game losing streak, falling two games behind the Yankees in the American League East.
In the last two games, the Rays have allowed 14 walks and 20 runs. Compare that to the previous two contests, when they had the lowest walk percentage in the American League. Per Neil Solondz (Rays Radio), of the 20 runs allowed, 13 have come with two out.
For the second consecutive day, Yandy Diaz will be out of the lineup after being hit on the hand by a pitch in Sunday’s game in New York. Diaz was a late scratch last night because of discomfort in his injured hand.
His hand is still bothering him. He tried to swing; obviously, it hurt him enough to take him out of the lineup. It’s unfortunate.
— Kevin Cash
Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team has done “a good degree of testing” on the injury, and he doesn’t expect Diaz to go on the injured list (IL).
X-rays, CT scans, everything is negative. It just got him in that boxer’s area where you see a lot of broken bones, but it got him on the fatty part of the palm. It’s just really sore. It’s the bottom hand, [and] it pinched everything there with the knob and all that.
— Kevin Cash
Daniel Robertson will play in his place for the second straight day. More Rays IL news can be in Noteworthiness.
The New What Next
Ryne Stanek (0-1, 3.70 ERA) will open for the Rays, while Yonny Chirinos (5-1, 3.26 ERA) is expected to get the bulk of the work. They’ll be opposed by Rich Hill (1-1, 3.00 ERA)
Ryane Stanek struggled on Sunday in his last outing in relief. Yet, as an opener, he’s given up just four runs over 18-2/3 innings, allowing a run in just two of those 12 outings.
Yonny Chirinos allowed four hits and struck out two over 4-2/3 shutout innings Friday night. Chirinos did his part after Ryne Stanek tossed the first two frames, as he nearly blanked the Yankees for five innings. The right-hander has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his past six appearances, allowing him to carry a 3.26 ERA with a 4.125 K/BB across 47 frames.
Rich Hill tossed six shutout innings while fanning 10 with no walks and two hits on Friday. The veteran southpaw needed just 84 pitches to record 18 outs, which is a pretty incredible seeing that 10 of those outs were punchouts. Through four starts, he is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA, with a 1.05 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts across 21 innings. Hill relies primarily on a whiffy 91 mph four-seam fastball and a 75 mph curveball with exceptional bite and sweeping glove-side movement. He is 2-0 with a 4.82 ERA in 11 career outings (two starts) against the Rays. Key Matchups: Travis d’Arnaud (1-3), Guillermo Heredia (1-2)
You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.
Rays 5/22/19 Starting Lineup
- Garcia DH
- Pham LF
- Choi 1B
- Adames SS
- Robertson 3B
- Kiermaier CF
- d’Arnaud C
- Heredia RF
- Lowe 2B
- Stanek RHP
Noteworthiness
— Matt Duffy (hamstring, back) played seven innings last night for the Durham Bulls in left field, going 0-for-4. Duffy is eligible to come off the IL on Monday. He has played third base, shortstop and left field during his rehab assignment to add to his versatility.
He’s getting closer. I’m really encouraged by his last couple days in Port Charlotte. Starting to see the timing at the plate. [He] hit a home run, couple of singles; moving him all over the diamond and playing different spots.
He can’t come off until the 27th at the soonest. Get him a couple of games, get him some reps out there and see how he fits our roster when it’s time for him to come off (the IL).
— Kevin Cash
— Jose De Leon (Tommy John surgery) threw 2-2/3 scoreless innings in Durham last night, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out two. 28 of his 52 pitches went for strikes (54% strike rate).
— Joey Wendle (wrist fracture) received a follow-up X-Ray on his fractured right wrist this afternoon and received good news — the cast is off (and thrown away).
Free to move forward as I can tolerate.
— Joey Wendle
Wendle could start swinging soon.
— Though Tyler Glasnow (forearm strain) hasn’t thrown a baseball since landing on the IL May 11, he did progress to tossing a tennis ball. The right-hander told Juan Toribio (MLB.com) he feels like he has “progressed a lot faster than I thought it would.”
I feel really good. I’ve tested it and thrown a tennis ball. It feels really good. I’m thankful for the trainers. I’ve progressed really fast.
— Juan Toribio
Glasnow is expected to play catch next week, with another test in his recovery expected thereafter.
— Brent Honeywell (Tommy John surgery, nerve issue) was checked again by a team doctor and will rest another week. If all goes well, he will resume throwing next week. Honeywell has been idled since mid-April in his rehab from Tommy John surgery.