X-Rays Spex

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LBWMF: Glasnow, Rays trounce Orioles, 7-0

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Tyler Glasnow didn’t allow a runner into scoring position Friday night, blanking the Orioles across seven frames.

After a 7-0 shellacking of the Orioles on Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays will go for the series win tonight in the second game of their three-game series against Baltimore. A win would move the Rays to 11 games over .500 for the first time this season.

Tampa Bay has yet to lose a series on the road this season, going 12-4 away from Tropicana Field. As Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) wrote, rain could be a factor tonight as it’s been throughout the trip. This is already only the third time the Rays have had multiple games postponed on the same road trip.

Tyler Glasnow was outstanding last night, allowing just three hits while striking out eight batters across seven scoreless innings. The right-hander retired the first 11 Orioles and didn’t allow a base runner until the fourth inning when he gave up an infield single. Glasnow mixed his pitches — a triple-digit fastball (49 thrown, 38 strikes, 4 whiffs, 78% strike rate) that he was able to move around the zone, a biting curveball (30 thrown, 17 strikes, 4 whiffs, 57% strike rate) with excellent depth, and few new-toy changeups (13 thrown, 7 strikes, 54% strike rate) — effectively and well. All eight of his strikeouts came on the curveball. He is undefeated with a shiny 1.47 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 6.57 K/BB across seven starts this season.

Glasnow got a lot of help from his offense, as the luck dragons appeared to be back on the side of the Rays; a .393 BABIP last night speaks to that.

One of those luck dragonesque hits — a Tommy Pham first-inning check swing RBI double down the right-field line — gave Tampa Bay all the offense it would need.

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsFL/status/1124452568447369216

Tampa Bay now has outscored opponents 30-10 in the first inning.

The Rays were able to add on to that slim, early lead in the middle innings. In the fourth inning, Nate Lowe and Avisail Garcia started a four-run uprising with singles, before Kevin Kiermaier lined out into deep right-field, allowing Lowe to move up to third.

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsFL/status/1124466220256808960

Mike Zunino followed by hitting a first-pitch home run into the left-center field bullpen — the third homer of the season for the Rays’ primary backstop (snapping an 0-17 skid).

They also tacked on a run when Willy Adames and Brandon Lowe hit singles, Tommy Pham walked to load the bases, and Ji-Man Choi hit a sacrifice fly to right, capping the four-run rally.

But they weren’t done, and the Rays scored two more runs in the sixth inning on just one hit. After Orioles reliever, Yefry Ramirez walked the first two batters in the frame, Pham singled to center to put the Rays up by six. Nate Lowe later picked up his first big league run batted in with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Brandon Lowe.

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsFL/status/1124478031806877696

With last night’s win in their back pocket, the Rays enter play Saturday with the best record in baseball at 21-11.

The New What Next

Yonny Chirinos (4-0, 3.48 ERA) will get the start on Sluttering day, pitching opposite of Dylan Bundy (0-4, 6.67 ERA).

Yonny Chirinos struck out four and walked one and scattered two hits while giving up four runs (two earned) over 5-2/3 innings against the Royals. Chirinos followed Ryne Stanek as the opener and came within an out of a quality outing, tossing 73 pitches (46 strikes, 63% strike rate) en route to his fourth win of the season. The right-hander is putting up good numbers this season, sporting a solid 3.48 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP and a 4.33 K/BB over 31 innings of work.

Dylan Bundy gave up four runs on five hits (including two home runs) and three walks while striking out eight over five innings on Sunday. Home runs have been a problem for Bundy, and he gave up two more solo shots in this outing. The right-hander induced 19 whiffs, however, he continues to allow too many baserunners and home runs to be effective. Bundy has a 6.67 ERA with a 2.62 K/BB over six starts this season (28-1/3 innings). The Rays got to Bundy in his last start at the Trop, tagging him for three runs on three hits (including a homer) and two walks over five innings. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (1-4), Ji-Man Choi (1-2, 2B, 2 BB), Avaisail Garcia (5-9, HR, 2 RBI), Kevin Kiermaier (4-11, 2 HR, 6 RBI, BB)

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

TNWN: Rays vs Orioles — a series preview, part two

Rays 5/4/19 Starting Lineup

  1. B. Lowe 2B
  2. Pham LF
  3. Choi DH
  4. N. Lowe 1B
  5. Garcia RF
  6. Kiermaier CF
  7. Robertson 3B
  8. Perez C
  9. Adames SS
  10. Stanek RHP

Noteworthiness

— Matt Duffy (hamstring, back) played five innings and got three at-bats in a rehab game Friday for the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

It’s encouraging, (but) it’s going to be a little while, I think. In all fairness to Duff, he didn’t have a Spring Training. We’re going to look to get him a bunch of at-bats. Rays skipper Kevin Cash said the Rays will start by playing him at third base, then look at moving him around, depending on how he feels.

It’s encouraging, (but) it’s going to be a little while, I think. In all fairness to Duff, he didn’t have a Spring Training. We’re going to look to get him a bunch of at-bats.

We’ll just kind of take it day to day and see what we’re hearing from him when he tests out his hamstring, his back, all those things. He’ll play some third, (and) the thought in Spring Training (was) to get him out in the outfield. We’ll try to at least get this first week or so at third base and then see how he’s responding.

— Kevin Cash

— Outfielder Austin Meadows (right thumb sprain) has gotten his cast off and has started to swing a bat and hit off a tee. Cash said Meadows felt pretty good.

— RHP José De León (Tommy John surgery) will throw two innings tonight for the Stone Crabs. It will be his first professional outing since August of 2017.

LBWMF: Glasnow, Rays take down the Orioles, 4-2

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  • The Rays celebrated the first of two Jackie Robinson days with a 4-2 win over Baltimore. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays (13-4) improved on the best record in baseball by beating the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 Tuesday night, thanks in part to a key home run by Avisail Garcia, and a solid start by Tyler Glasnow.

The tall right-hander tied the longest outing by a Tampa Bay hurler in the first 17 games of the season, although you never would have guessed his final line based on Glasnow’s first three innings of work.

The Orioles, who have outscored opponents 16-5 in the first inning, jumped ahead early against Glasnow. With one out and none on, Trey Mancini singled to right-center and moved up to second on a Dwight Smith Junior’s single to right. Then, Rio Ruiz hit a two-out RBI single to right-center, scoring Mancini. Baltimore’s hitters spat on Glasnow’s curveball, hunted fastballs, attacked him early in the count, and worked him for 26 pitches in the first inning alone.

After Glasnow worked around a leadoff single in the second, Baltimore extended the lead in the third. Smith reached on an infield hit to second; Brandon Lowe had difficulty getting the ball out of his glove. Smith swiped second, then came home on Renato Nunez’s double that deflected off Yandy Diaz and traveled up the third base line.

From that point on, however, Glasnow quietly went to work and threw up four consecutive zeroes — working around a base hit by coaxing a double play in the fourth inning and retiring the final 10 batters he would face in a row.

Glasnow didn’t walk a batter and scattered seven hits while striking out three. He threw 87 pitches (61 strikes, 70% strike rate) total and just 61 over the final six frames.

Meanwhile, the Rays offense took a few innings to get going. They didn’t get on the board until the fourth inning when they tagged Dylan Bundy for three runs. As DeWayne and BA noted on the telecast, Bundy’s peripherals inflate from the first time through the order to the second time through — from a .235 BA/.298 OBP/.419 SLG/.717 OPS/.309 wOBA slash line against to a .274 BA/.342 OBP/.510 SLG/.852 OPS/.361 wOBA line. Tuesday night would be much the same.

Down by a pair of runs, Tommy Pham started a rally by extending his franchise record on-base streak to 48 games, earning a leadoff walk after being down in the count 0-2. Ji-Man Choi followed with a double to right, putting runners in scoring position for Yandy Diaz, who flew out to right in foul territory. Pham came home to on the sacrifice fly, splitting the difference. After Lowe struck out for the second out of the inning, Garcia hit a first-pitch homer to centerfield, his second of the season.

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsFL/status/1118309535100198913

As Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) noted, the homer also gave Tampa Bay two more two-out runs. The Rays have scored 35 two-out runs, or roughly two per game this season.

Garcia’s homer was enough for the Rays staff. Jose Alvarado followed Glasnow and pitched a perfect eighth inning against the top of the Orioles order. Yet Tampa Bay tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the inning.

Diaz hit a two-out single, moved into second base on a free pass of Lowe, and came home when Garcia singled to left-center — his third RBI of the contest.

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsFL/status/1118328784258621440

Finally, Diego Castillo took over in the ninth and slammed the door shut on Baltimore, working a 1-2-3 inning for his second save of the season.

The New What Next

Game two of the series takes place on Wednesday. The Rays will use an opener to start the game, which will likely be followed by Ryan Yarbrough (2-1, 4.82 ERA). I will update things as the fluid situation becomes clear. The Rays will be opposed by David Hess (1-2, 3.32 ERA).

Ryan Yarbrough picked up the win after tossing two scoreless frames and striking out one on Friday. The southpaw was efficient on the mound, needing just 16 total pitches (12 strikes) to get through six batters. Yarbrough was coming off a disastrous outing Saturday against San Francisco (allowing four runs allowed across three innings) but managed to get back on track in the 11-7 victory.

David Hess allowed three runs on six hits while striking out three over 5-2/3 innings on Friday. He took the loss against Boston. Hess allowed a solo homer in the third inning and two more runs in the fourth, while the Orioles were held scoreless until the seventh. The 25-year-old right-hander came within an out of a quality start and pitched well enough to come away with the win, although he didn’t get enough run support. Hess owns a 3.32 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 19 frames in three starts this season. Hess relies primarily on his 94 mph four-seam fastball with added backspin and an 83 mph fly-ball coaxing slider, while also mixing in an 85 mph changeup, and a 93 mph sinker with a little sink and arm-side run. He is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in four career starts against the Rays, and is 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA in three starts at the Trop. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (2-6, 2B), Ji-Man Choi (2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB), Yandy Diaz (1-2, BB), Brandon Lowe (1-4, 2B), Tommy Pham (1-3, 3B)

You can read about the series in our preview.

The New What Next: Rays vs. Orioles — a series preview

Rays 4/17/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Meadows RF
  2. Pham LF
  3. Choi 1B
  4. Diaz 3B
  5. Lowe 2B
  6. Garcia DH
  7. Kiermaier CF
  8. Zunino C
  9. Adames SS
  10. Stanek RHP; opener

Noteworthiness

— Things certainly got, uhh … interesting for Kevin Kiermaier Tuesday night:

The New What Next: Rays vs. Orioles — a series preview

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  • That the Rays finished their nine-game road trip with a 7-2 record is reason enough to celebrate.

The Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles will open a three-game series starting Tuesday night at the Trop. The Rays are coming off a 7-2 road trip across three different time zones, while the Orioles are 3-7 over their last 10 games.

(Stats Credit: ESPN)

The first-place Rays are averaging 4.67 runs per game (RPG), ranking them 16th in the Majors. However, that RPG average increases to 5.75 when you take their first four games — when they averaged 2.75 runs — out of the equation. What’s more, despite a few blips and bumps, Tampa Bay’s pitching staff continues to shine, sporting a Major League-best 2.44 team ERA/2.80 team FIP.

The Orioles are currently averaging a respectable 4.44 RPG, ranking them 19th in MLB, yet Baltimore’s pitching staff has performed to a Major League-worst 6.30 team ERA/6.72 team FIP. Be that as it may, the Orioles been competitive on the road where they own a 6-4 record on the season.

(Stats Credit: FanGraphs)

The Rays posted an 11-8 record against the Orioles in 2018. In an ideal world, they need to improve by at least two games this season over last.

Pitching Probables

Over the next three days Kevin Cash will lean on starter Tyler Glasnow (3-0, 0.53 ERA), and likely bulk inning guys Ryan Yarbrough (2-1, 4.82 ERA), and Yonny Chirinos (2-0, 4.40 ERA). The order which they will be used, however, is still up in the air. New skipper Brandon Hyde will respond with Dylan Bundy (0-1, 8.76 ERA), David Hess (1-2, 3.32 ERA), and Andrew Cashner (3-1, 5.31 ERA).

(Stats Credit: FanGraphs)

Tyler Glasnow earned the win against Chicago on Wednesday by fanning 11 and allowing just two hits and one walk across six scoreless innings. The right-hander’s only trouble came during the third inning when he had a pair of runners in scoring position with only one out, yet Glasnow struck out Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu to end the threat. He has enjoyed a dominant first three starts to the season with a 7/1 K/BB across 17 innings.

Dylan Bundy allowed six runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts over five innings of a loss to Oakland on Thursday. The eight punch outs were impressive, yet Bundy suffered thanks to the long-ball. In his last 8-2/3 innings, Bundy has served up six homers. He has also yielded 15 hits in 12-1/3 innings of work thus far. Bundy relies primarily on his 91 mph four-seam fastball that has good “rising” action and a whiffy 81 mph slider with two-plane movement, while also mixing in an 84 mph changeup. Over nine career starts against the Rays, the right-hander is 3-4 with a 6.30 ERA and is 1-2 with a 9.00 ERA in four starts at the Trop. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (1-4), Avisail Garcia (4-7), Kevin Kiermaier (4-9, 2 HR, 6 RBI, BB), Micahel Perez (1-3)

Ryan Yarbrough picked up the win after tossing two scoreless frames and striking out one on Friday. The southpaw was efficient on the mound, needing just 16 total pitches (12 strikes) to get through six batters. Yarbrough was coming off a disastrous outing Saturday against San Francisco (allowing four runs allowed across three innings) but managed to get back on track in the 11-7 victory.

David Hess allowed three runs on six hits while striking out three over 5-2/3 innings on Friday. He took the loss against Boston. Hess allowed a solo homer in the third inning and two more runs in the fourth, while the Orioles were held scoreless until the seventh. The 25-year-old right-hander came within an out of a quality start and pitched well enough to come away with the win, although he didn’t get enough run support. Hess owns a 3.32 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 19 frames in three starts this season. Hess relies primarily on his 94 mph four-seam fastball with added backspin and an 83 mph fly-ball coaxing slider, while also mixing in an 85 mph changeup, and a 93 mph sinker with a little sink and arm-side run. He is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in four career starts against the Rays, and is 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA in three starts at the Trop. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (2-6, 2B), Ji-Man Choi (2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB), Yandy Diaz (1-2, BB), Brandon Lowe (1-4, 2B), Tommy Pham (1-3, 3B)

Yonny Chirinos was bereft of quality stuff in his last outing against Toronto, allowing six earned runs on seven hits (including a homer) across 2-1/3 innings of work. This after the right-hander allowed just one run across his previous 12-1/3 innings of work, while striking out 11. Chirinos needs to keep his sinker down in the zone and allow his pitches, which boast a ton of movement, to play off the batters aggressiveness.

Andrew Cashner is going for his fourth straight win of the season, following his most recent victory on Saturday against Boston, when the right-hander allowed three runs on three hits and three walks across five innings of work. Cashner relies primarily on his 94 mph four-seam fastball and an 86 mph cutter with heavy sink and strong cutting action, while also mixing in an 84 mph changeup, a firm 81 mph curveball with slight glove-side movement, and a 92 mph two-seam sinker with little sinking action. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.13 ERA in four career starts against the Rays, and 2-1 with a 3.46 ERA at Tropicana Field. Key Matchups: Guillermo Heredia (2-8, 2B, 2 BB), Kevin Kiermaier (2-6), Michael Perez (1-4, RBI), Daniel Robertson (3-4, 2B, RBI, BB)

LBWMF: Rays look for the sweep after they beat up on the Orioles, 10-5

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Make that 10 wins in a row at home, and 12 of their last 15 overall. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays scratched across five early runs in the first two innings of Saturday’s contest against the Orioles, then continued to add to the lead as the game progressed. For the second straight day, the Rays scored double-digit runs as they won a 10th consecutive home game, beating Baltimore 10–5. Tampa Bay starts the day 13 games over .500 for the first time this season, eight games back of the Athletics in the Wildcard race, and just 1/2 game behind the Mariners who stand between the Rays and Oakland.

The Rays started their scoring in the opening frame after Mallex Smith reached on a two-base throwing error by third baseman Renato Nunez. Smith advanced to third on Joey Wendle’s fly-ball out to right before David Hess uncorked a Carly Rae Jepsen like wild pitch that bounded toward first base.

Next up was Tommy Pham, who tripled to right. Ji-Man Choi sacrificed Pham home on a fly-ball to center — putting the Rays up by two — before Kevin Kiermaier, Willy Adames and Jake Bauers hit back-to-back-to-back singles, plating the third run. With runners at the corners, Bauers broke for second with Brandon Lowe at the plate. Bauers pumped the brakes and stayed hung-up between first and second long enough for Adames to cross the plate, capping the scoring.

The weirdness continued in the second inning when Brandon Lowe hit a double off the B-Ring catwalk that fell back into fair play. Nick Ciuffo reached after being hit in the foot by a wayward slider. Then, with Lowe breaking from third on the pitch, Joey Wendle laid down a perfectly placed suicide bunt for the fifth run of the game.

Baltimore attempted a comeback effort, however, getting to within a pair of runs in the third inning. Ryan Yarbrough allowed a one-out walk to Cedric Mullins, and a bloop double to right to Joey Rickard. Jonathan Villar reached on an infield hit, as Mullins scored to make it a four-run game. Then in the fourth, Tim Beckham reached on a one-out infield hit, and Renato Nunez hit a two-run two-out homer to left, making it 5-3.

In the top of the fifth, Ciuffo both bailed out Adames and showed off his rocket of an arm. Rickard slapped a slow roller into the hole between third and short. Adames was able to make a backhanded stop, yet his throw was well wide of first. Ciuffo hustled down the line to back up the throw, corralled the ball in front of the dugout and nailed Rickard with a perfect throw as he attempted to move up to second.

All told, Yarbrough allowed three earned runs on six hits and two walks across 3-2/3 innings of work, although he was able to pick up his 14th win of the season — the most in the Majors for a rookie.

Just really trying to find some rhythm out there, and falling behind some guys, so obviously not a recipe for success, said Yarbrough on his pitching performance. Obviously, you’ve got to focus on it a little bit and work on the bullpen and get after it. But yeah, I was just falling behind guys and trying to get some rhythm and it just kind of didn’t get there.

Nevertheless, Tampa Bay was able to push the lead back to four runs in the sixth inning. Adames doubled to left, chasing Hess, and Bauers sacrificed him to third against southpaw Tanner Scott. Adames scored when Scott uncorked the second wild pitch of the ballgame. After Duffy, Ciuffo, and Smith hit another triplet of singles, Wendle came up with a bases-loaded sacrifice-fly giving the Rays a four-run cushion.

Yet knowing that all teeters must totter, Baltimore made it 7-5 in the seventh inning on a two-run single by Villar. Be that as it may, Tampa Bay came right back with three more runs. Matt Duffy delivered a bases-loaded single to make it 9-5, while Smith capped the scoring with an RBI single of his own.

We’ve kind of got to the point where we really believe in ourselves, Duffy said. We feel like we are flying under the radar with some of those other teams in the American League, but we think we can beat anyone. We truly believe that and we carry that confidence with us every day.

At the end of the day, Tampa Bay collected double-digit hits and runs for the second consecutive day, although this time without the benefit of a homer. Eight Tampa Bay hurlers combined for the victory.

The New What Next

Ryne Stanek (2-3, 2.65 ERA) will open the series finale on Sunday, likely ahead of Yonny Chirinos (3-5, 3.76 ERA). They’ll be opposed by southpaw Josh Rogers (1-1, 4.35 ERA) who will take the mound in place of Alex Cobb, the former Ray that is dealing with a blister.

Stanek came out of the bullpen on Saturday to get one out. The right-hander has given up six of the 18 runs he’s allowed against Baltimore, while five of the six homers he’s given up came against the Orioles.

Chirinos put together another one of those spotty nights where he looked both terrible and terrific. His first inning was so bad, laboring through 25 pitches including back to back walks — and forcing Rays skipper Kevin Cash to get the bullpen warmed up early — then, with a refocused verve, zipped through the next six innings on just 47 pitches. When all was said and done, Chirinos threw seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just four hits, but three walks, on 72 efficient pitches (42 strikes, 58% strikes, 10.3 pitches per inning). The right-hander coaxed 12 ground balls, including three double plays.

Rogers was traded from New York in the Zach Britton deal. The left-hander gave up two runs across 5-1/3 innings at Seattle in a 2–1 defeat on September 3rd.

Rays 9/9/18 Starting Lineup

Smith LF
Pham DH
Duffy 3B
Cron 1B
Kiermaier CF
Adames SS
Lowe 2B
Gomez RF
Sucre C
Stanek RHP

You can read about the series in our preview.

The New What Next: Rays vs Orioles — one last series preview

LBWMF: Rays trounce Orioles, 14-2, look to win series on Saturday

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The Rays scored 14 runs Friday night, thanks in part to four home runs, including a Ji-Man Choi grand slam. (Photo Credit: X-Rays Spex)

Nick Ciuffo, Kevin Kiermaier, Tommy Pham and Ji-Man Choi teamed up to hit four home runs on Friday as the Tampa Bay Rays cruised to a 14-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles, who lost for the 100th time this season. 14 runs were more than enough for Blake Snell, who picked up his 18th win of the season. and the Rays.

The Rays have now won nine consecutive home games (42-24 at home overall), and are 30-8 in their last 38 games at Tropicana Field. The nine straight home wins are three shy of a franchise record.

Snell threw five innings of scoreless ball on 90 pitches but was chased in the sixth after giving up a one-out infield hit to Cedric Mullins, then a two-run homer to Joey Rickard. It was Rickard’s fourth homer against Tampa Bay this season, giving him 17 of his 23 total runs batted in against the Rays. All told, Snell struck fanned nine and allowed five hits across 5-1/3 innings and 104 pitches (72 strikes, 69% strike rate, 15/20 first-pitch strikes).

I felt like I was around the zone, for the most part, Snell said. The offense did very well. Gave me a quick lead. All credit goes to them.

Meanwhile, the Rays took the lead for good in the second inning against the right-hander Dylan Bundy. With two outs, Willy Adames lined a single to left-field before Jake Bauers walked. Ciuffo, batting for the first time at the Trop, homered to right, putting Tampa Bay up by three with one swing of the bat.

An inning later, Ji-Man Choi and Tommy Pham walked with one out. Yet Joey Wendle ground into an almost double play which would have ended the threat. He, however, beat out the throw to first, keeping the frame alive. Kiermaier, who reached in the first inning on a bunt single, homered off the fair pole in right, his seventh, pushing the lead to 6-0.

Tampa Bay also scored in the fifth inning on a solo homer to dead center by Pham off relief pitcher Sean Gilmartin.

Then in the sixth inning, Bauers walked before Ciuffo singled to center to put two on with one out. After Mallex Smith grounded into a fielder’s choice at third, and Matt Duffy walked, Choi crushed a 438-foot grand slam to right-field off Ryan Meisinger. Tampa Bay scored their first 11 runs via the longball.

The Rays tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning on a bases-loaded wild pitch, a Ciuffo sacrifice-fly, and an infield hit off the bat of Smith.

After Snell departed one out in the sixth inning, Jaime Schultz pitched 1-2/3 scoreless innings, while Andrew Kittredge and Hunter Wood threw an inning apiece. The hurlers combined for 15 strikeouts and didn’t walk a batter.

The New What Next

The Rays have an opportunity to win both the current and season series against the Orioles on Saturday night. Diego Castillo (3-2, 3.48 ERA) will open for the Rays, with Ryan Yarbrough (13-5, 3.68 ERA) expected to work the bulk of the innings. They’ll be opposed by David Hess (3-9, 5.27 ERA).

Castillo has opened four times previously and has allowed runs in only one of those appearances. The flame-throwing right-hander has not walked a batter in those outings, covering 9-1/3 innings.

Yarbrough tossed five innings of relief on Sunday, allowing one run on two hits and a walk while striking out three against Cleveland. The southpaw took the mound in the second inning after opener Diego Castillo tossed a scoreless first, and held Cleveland scoreless until the seventh when he allowed an RBI single to Jose Ramirez, knocking him out of the game. Yarbrough has lowered his ERA to 3.68, with a 2.67 K/BB, thanks to a 21-1/3 inning stretch where he has allowed just two earned runs total.

Hess allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits across four innings on Sunday against the Royals. He struck out three and threw just 10/21 first-pitch strikes. Hess was scored upon in three different innings and had an unearned run that originated from his own wild pitch. Hess was coming off three consecutive quality starts — perhaps his best stretch of the season. The right-hander held Tampa Bay scoreless across six innings in his first meeting of the season (May 25), but allowed three runs on four hits in 5-2/3 innings on August 9. Hess was cleared to start after he was hit in the eye with a football while playing catch before Friday’s contest. Key Matchups: Ji-Man Choi (1-2, HR, RBI, BB), Matt Duffy (4-9, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Joey Wendle (4-5, BB) 

Rays 9/8/18 Starting Lineup

Smith RF
Wendle 3B
Pham LF
Choi DH
Kiermaier CF
Adames SS
Bauers 1B
Lowe 2B
Ciuffo C
Castillo RHP

You can read about the series in our preview.

The New What Next: Rays vs Orioles — one last series preview

Noteworthiness

— Tampa Bay starts the day eight games back in the AL Wildcard race, but just 1-1/2 games behind the Seattle Mariners, who stand between Tampa Bay and Oakland.

— The Rays will wear their Devil Rays throwback uniforms tonight for the last scheduled time this season.

— Michael Perez is back with the team. The backstop was in Cleveland for the birth of his son, Liam, on Wednesday. He said his hamstring is improving and is confident he’ll return to action this season.

— Former Ray Alex Cobb has been scratched from Sunday’s start due to a blister. Southpaw Josh Rogers will instead start for Baltimore.

— Since his average dipped to .175 on August 14, Kevin Kiermaier has hit .348 with five doubles, three triples, and three home runs.