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TNWN: Rays look to close out series in Boston with a win

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Mike Zunino had himself a day both behind the dish and in the batter’s box yesterday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

After eking out a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, the Tampa Bay Rays look for a sweep in the rain-shortened two-game set this afternoon at Fenway Park. Shocker of the century, rain is in the forecast in Boston this afternoon. Too bad there isn’t a roof covering the Red Sox’s vaunted stadium.

Mike Zunino played a critical role in yesterday’s contest, both behind the plate and in the batter’s box. Up by a run thanks to Yandy Diaz, who hit a Monster shot in the first inning, Tampa Bay scraped across a run in the fourth when Tommy Pham doubled off the Monster and scored on a one-out single off the wall by Mike Zunino. After that, Price and four relievers allowed four walks, yet no hits, keeping the Rays off the board.

Meanwhile, Charlie Morton faced Boston for the second consecutive start and allowed just two hits and four walks across six innings of work, on 102 pitches (61 strikes, 60% strike rate). The right-hander didn’t have his best stuff, yet he still kept the Red Sox off the board. Morton worked out of a jam  in the second inning —  striking out Jackie Bradley Jr. and getting Christian Vazquez to ground out to short after allowing a pair of base runners with one out.

Boston again threatened in the third when Mookie Betts reached base on an infield single then advanced into scoring position on a throwing error by Willy Adames. Betts moved into third on a wild pitch, but the right-hander came up with a big strikeout against Xander Bogaerts to end the threat.

Morton got a little help from Zunino in the fourth when he picked Rafael Devers off first base to get the first out of the frame. Even though Michael Chavis drew a walk one pitch later, Tampa Bay turned a 6-4-3 double play to close out the inning. Morton coaxed a second double play an inning later, in the fifth.

The agile Zunino was active behind the plate, something that was critically important in the eighth when the Red Sox mounted their biggest threat of the game. He blocked multiple pitches in the dirt which, had they gotten past the backstop, assuredly would have spelled doom for Tampa Bay.

The win on Saturday was Tampa Bay’s first over Boston in four tries, and the team’s first one-run win in five games this season.

The New What Next

Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 1.53 ERA) will get the start in the series finale, pitching opposite of Chris Sale (0-4, 7.43 ERA).

Tyler Glasnow struck out five and allowed two runs on three walks and three hits over 5-1/3 innings on Sunday. Coming into Sunday’s start, the right-hander had issued just three free passes in 24 innings but matched that total against Boston. He also threw just 49 of 76 pitches for strikes (64% strike rate), yet made the big pitch when he needed to. Still, Glasnow owns a terrific 4.83 K/BB and a 1.53 ERA this season. The right-hander will try to get his revenge against Boston on Saturday.

Chris Sale gave up two earned runs on five hits over five innings of work in his last start. He fanned 10 and walked two in the Red Sox 7-4 loss. Sale shut out the Tigers over the first three frames but yielded single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, the latter on a solo homer. The southpaw struck out two batters in each inning, throwing 97 pitches overall (72 strikes, 74% strike rate). This season Sale has relied primarily on a 78 mph sweeping slider, a 93 mph four-seam fastball with heavy sinking action and arm-side run, and an 85 mph circle changeup with obvious arm-side fade that dives down out of the zone, while also mixing in a 92 mph sinker with obvious tail and natural sinking action. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (1-3, HR, RBI), Yandy Diaz (2-3, 2B, RBI, BB), Avisail Garcia (3-6, 2B), Kevin Kiermaier (5-17, HR, 3 RBI, BB)

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

TNWN: Rays vs Red Sox — a series preview, part two

Rays 4/28/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Diaz 1B
  2. Pham LF
  3. Robertson 2B
  4. Garcia DH
  5. Zunino C
  6. Kiermaier CF
  7. Heredia RF
  8. Adames SS
  9. Arroyo 3B
  10. Glasnow RHP

Noteworthiness

— JD Martinez (back spasms) remains out of the lineup for Boston.

— The Rays made a roster move this morning, reinstating RHP Hunter Wood and optioning RHP Austin Pruitt back to Durham.

— Just sayin’…

— Who says Yandy can only hit line drive missiles?!


Rays 4/27/19 pregame notes, starting lineup

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Due to inclement weather — perhaps the Sox need a dome — the Rays will play a two-game set instead of a three-game weekend series as scheduled. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

After a postponement due to inclement weather on Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays will start their now two-game series against the Boston Red Sox this afternoon.

With the rainout in mind, going forward the Rays rotation will be Charlie Morton on Saturday and Tyler Glasnow on Sunday versus the Red Sox, and Yonny Chirinos on Monday and Blake Snell on Tuesday versus Kansas City — both of whom will be followed by an opener in game three on Wednesday.

Friday’s game will be made up in a June 8th day/night doubleheader on June 8th — in the midst of the Rays’ toughest stretch of the season. Tampa Bay will play 21 games in 20 days and 34 games in 34 days going into the All-Star Break (and 47 of 48).

The New What Next

Charlie Morton Morton (2-0, 3.38 ERA) will get the start against David Price (1-1, 3.75 ERA), who will face a decidedly right-handed lineup.

Charlie Morton coughed up five early runs on five hits and two walks over six innings on Saturday while striking out nine. The big blow off Morton came on a second-inning grand slam by Andrew Benintendi. Yet Morton was able to shake it off and shut Boston down for the next four frames, giving his team a chance to mount a comeback and eventually tie things up in the eighth. Morton will take a 3.38 ERA and a 2.83 K/BB across 26-2/3 innings into his rematch against the Red Sox, in Boston.

David Price fanned 10 and allowed two runs on two walks and five hits in a five-inning no-decision against the Rays on Sunday. It was the former ace’s first 10-strikeout game of the season; his first double-digit strikeout game since late last season. Sunday’s strong outing gives Price an excellent 6 K/BB across 24 innings this season. Key Matchups: Christian Arroyo (1-2), Kevin Kiermaier (5-19, 2 2B, HR, RBI, BB), Micahel Perez (2-5), Daniel Robertson (3-11, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 BB)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the lineup is below.

TNWN: Rays vs Red Sox — a series preview, part two

Rays 4/26/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Diaz 1B
  2. Pham DH
  3. Robertson 2B
  4. Garcia RF
  5. Zunino C
  6. Kiermaier CF
  7. Heredia LF
  8. Adames SS
  9. Arroyo 3B
  10. Morton RHP

TNWN: Rays vs Red Sox — a series preview, part two

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Willy the Kid is ready for the upcoming 10-game road trip. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Following their first sub .500 homestand of the season, the Tampa Bay Rays will hit the road for a three-city, 10-game road trip starting Friday. Their first stop is Boston, where they’ll take on the Red Sox over the next three days.

The Rays are coming off a series win against the Royals, while the Red Sox split a four-game set against the Detroit Tigers. Tampa Bay seeks to exact some revenge on the sub .500 Red Sox after a three-game sweep last weekend.

(Stats Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The concern with the Rays right now happens to be on the injury front. Joey Wendle went down with a fractured wrist on Wednesday and isn’t expected to return for six-to-eight weeks — a total that will be updated. Then again, Tampa Bay has only played eight games with a healthy Wendle this season, so… Matt Duffy is still on the Injured List, although he is close to returning. Ji-Man Choi should rejoin the lineup on Friday after, essentially, six days off. However, the biggest loss for the Rays is Austin Meadows, who won’t return from the IL, with a sprained thumb, for another two-and-a-half weeks.

Taking Wendle’s place on the roster will be INF Christian Arroyo, who was promoted from Triple-A Durham. Arroyo has slashed .310 BA/.370 OBP/.548 SLG/.918 OPS/.392 wOBA with nine RBI and two homers for Durham so far.

Meanwhile, Boston appears to be turning a corner, although they have performed under the league average in wRC+ over the last 14 days. Their -3.5 wRAA over the same stretch isn’t much to write home about either. Still, Tampa Bay can attest to how dangerous the Red Sox lineup can be after last weekend’s embarrassing spate of play. The Red Sox clearly are beatable, but the Rays will need to do better than go 4-for-23 wRISP (.173 BA) as they did a week ago.

(Stats Credit: FanGraphs)

A lot of us were very bitter after this past weekend, coming up on the short end of the stick three games in a row. We know what we want to accomplish this weekend. We want to get back at them. They play good baseball. We definitely had our chances that we didn’t take advantage of, but that’s baseball sometimes. … Definitely we want to go up there and beat them at their place and win a series, and try to do the same thing they did to us. We want to win all three. We have the talent. We have the guys to do it.

It’ll be a big test for us. It’s an important series for us getting revenge and proving to ourselves we can still beat the best teams in baseball. And we will.

— Kevin Kiermaier

Pitching Probables

Over the next couple of days, Kevin Cash will lean on Charlie Morton (2-0, 3.38 ERA) and Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 1.53 ERA). Alex Cora will respond with David Price (1-1, 3.75 ERA) and Chris Sale (0-4, 7.43 ERA).

(Stats Credit: FanGraphs)

Charlie Morton coughed up five early runs on five hits and two walks over six innings on Saturday while striking out nine. The big blow off Morton came on a second-inning grand slam by Andrew Benintendi. Yet Morton was able to shake it off and shut Boston down for the next four frames, giving his team a chance to mount a comeback and eventually tie things up in the eighth. Morton will take a 3.38 ERA and a 2.83 K/BB across 26-2/3 innings into his rematch against the Red Sox, in Boston.

David Price fanned 10 and allowed two runs on two walks and five hits in a five-inning no-decision against the Rays on Sunday. It was the former ace’s first 10-strikeout game of the season; his first double-digit strikeout game since late last season. Sunday’s strong outing gives Price an excellent 6 K/BB across 24 innings this season. Key Matchups: Christian Arroyo (1-2), Kevin Kiermaier (5-19, 2 2B, HR, RBI, BB), Micahel Perez (2-5), Daniel Robertson (3-11, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 BB)

Tyler Glasnow struck out five and allowed two runs on three walks and three hits over 5-1/3 innings on Sunday. Coming into Sunday’s start, the right-hander had issued just three free passes in 24 innings but matched that total against Boston. He also threw just 49 of 76 pitches for strikes (64% strike rate), yet made the big pitch when he needed to. Still, Glasnow owns a terrific 4.83 K/BB and a 1.53 ERA this season. The right-hander will try to get his revenge against Boston on Saturday.

Chris Sale gave up two earned runs on five hits over five innings of work in his last start. He fanned 10 and walked two in the Red Sox 7-4 loss. Sale shut out the Tigers over the first three frames but yielded single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, the latter on a solo homer. The southpaw struck out two batters in each inning, throwing 97 pitches overall (72 strikes, 74% strike rate). This season Sale has relied primarily on a 78 mph sweeping slider, a 93 mph four-seam fastball with heavy sinking action and arm-side run, and an 85 mph circle changeup with obvious arm-side fade that dives down out of the zone, while also mixing in a 92 mph sinker with obvious tail and natural sinking action. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (1-3, HR, RBI), Yandy Diaz (2-3, 2B, RBI, BB), Avisail Garcia (3-6, 2B), Kevin Kiermaier (5-17, HR, 3 RBI, BB)

LBWMF: Rays throttle Red Sox, 10-3; Mallex Smith admitted to hospital

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Willy “The Kid” went 2-3 with 2 RBI, 3 runs, and a homer last night. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays scored nine two-out runs in the second, third and fourth innings on Friday night, propelling the team to a 10-3 win at over the Boston Red Sox. The Rays have won a season-high six consecutive games, and are seven games over .500 for the first time this season.

Diego Castillo opened the game and posted 1-2/3 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing two hits while striking out four. His first two punchouts came against the first two batters of the game and on just six pitches. Castillo was followed by Jalen Beeks, who worked his way out of a runners on the corners two-out jam by coaxing a fly-ball to shallow left from Boston’s catcher Blake Swihart.

Tampa Bay got on the board in the second inning against Hector Velazquez, who allowed just one run to the same team less than a week ago.

Designated hitter Ji-Man Choi started the rally with a double to right field before Willy “The Kid” Adames worked a free pass. And while Kevin Kiermaier went down swinging on five pitches, Choi and Adames pulled a double steal to get into scoring position ahead of Carlos Gomez — looking a lot like the Rays of old in the process. Gomez chopped a ball to third which allowed Choi to score the first run of the game, with Adames moving up 90 feet. After Brandon Lowe worked the second free pass of the inning, Michael Perez hit a two-run double off the glove of a diving Jackie Bradley Jr. in right-centerfield, capping the rally.

Yet Boston struck back for a pair of runs off left-hander Jalen Beeks in the top of the third inning on a bases-loaded two-out single by Xander Bogaerts, putting the Rays up by just one. Beeks walked Mookie Betts on four pitches — as it appeared that he wanted nothing to do with one of the best hitters in the American League — before Steve Pearce and J.D. Martinez both reached on infield hits that took awkward bounces, making plays against nearly impossible. Beeks ended the night with a .412 BABIP against, largely due to his unlucky third.

Be that as it may, Tampa Bay answered with a big two-out rally in the bottom of the frame. With none on, Choi and Adames hit back-to-back singles before Kiermaier snuck a hit under the glove Steve Pearce for a run. Then Gomez and Lowe sprayed run-scoring base hits to left and right (respectively) to put the Rays up by four. After Lowe stole the third bag of the night, Perez capped the five-run rally with a two-run single to right, chasing Velazquez and making it 8-2.

Beeks allowed one more run in the fifth inning after he relinquished back-to-back-to-back singles to Andrew Benintendi, Pearce and Martinez. Yet the southpaw worked around seven hits and three walks while striking out four across 5-1/3 innings — his longest outing in a Rays’ uniform. He was helped by double plays in the fifth and the seventh innings.

Beeks didn’t have his best stuff, yet he spotted his fastball and made some pitches when he had to.

(The) offense exploded, Beeks said, and that made it a lot easier on the pitchers.

Meanwhile, the Rays capped their scoring in the fourth inning against Drew Pomeranz. Choi walked with two outs before Adames blasted a two-run homer to dead center (his eighth) for an eight-run advantage.

Hunter Wood took the mound for the final two innings of the game, allowing four hits but no walks while striking out three. All told, Tampa Bay collected 12 hits. Adames and Choi teamed up to score six runs and Lowe reached base four times.

The New What Next

Ryne Stanek (1-3, 2.58 ERA) will open the game for Tampa Bay in the second game of the set, and will likely be followed by Ryan Yarbrough(12-5, 3,84 ERA). They will face RHP Rick Porcello (15-6, 4.14 ERA).

Yarbrough picked up the win on Monday after he fired off 5-1/3 scoreless innings against Kansas City. He struck out six. Yarbrough relinquished two hits and one walk in the outing. The southpaw replaced opener Hunter Wood midway through the second inning and recorded the final out with two runners on the base paths. Tampa Bay plated their lone run in the bottom half of the inning, making Yarbrough the pitcher of record while he and the bullpen shut down the Kansas City offense for the rest of the game. Yarbrough has kept the opposition off the board in each of his last three appearances while posting a 0.53 WHIP and 10-to-1 K/BB across 11-1/3 innings.

Porcello took the loss Monday night after he gave up five runs on six hits and one walk over seven innings against Cleveland. He struck out six. The game was tied at three apiece heading into the seventh inning when Porcello got the first out before walking the next batter. After he was then hit in the stomach by a comebacker off the bat of Yan Gomes, which led to a fielder’s choice, Greg Allen broke the tie with a two-run home shot, proving to be the difference in the game. Porcello is 3-1 against the Rays this season, although his sole loss came on May 24, the last time he took the mound against Tampa Bay. In that game, the right-hander allowed six runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks over 3-2/3 innings. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (1-2), Ji-Man Choi (2-5, 2B, RBI), Matt Duffy (7-18, RBI), Carlos Gomez (3-9, 2B, HR, RBI), Joey Wendle (3-10, 2B)

Rays 8/25/18 Starting Lineup

MENDLE 2B
DUFFMAN 3B
JI DH
PHAMTASTIC LF
BIG FELLA 1B
OUTLAW CF
THE KID SS
LOWE RF
MYKII C
STANNY RHP

You can read about the series in our preview.

The New What Next: Rays vs Red Sox — one last time with feeling

Noteworthiness

— After waking up at 3:00 AM Friday morning feeling ill, OF Mallex Smith has been hospitalized due to a viral infection. He has been placed on the 10-day disabled list. According to Matt Baker (Tampa Bay Times), the illness is serious enough to elicit a stay in the hospital but does not appear to be life-threatening.

Smith was admitted to an area hospital and was receiving antibiotics via IV, the team said but was not expected to stay long. His condition is not considered anything like the life-threatening bacterial infection that led to Cleveland OF Leonys Martin being hospitalized earlier this month and sidelined for the rest of the season.

Rays manager Kevin Cash spoke on Smith’s status after the game:

I don’t get the sense it’s serious. The kid’s in the hospital, so that’s concerning enough. I don’t know much other than that.

The team has recalled Andrew Kittredge to take Smith’s place on the active roster in the short-term, adding an extra arm to the bullpen, although they could call up an outfielder since they have two days off next week. Austin Meadows would be an option.

— OF Tommy Pham hit off the machine Friday as he continues to progress from the dislocated right ring finger he suffered on Tuesday.

He’s going to feel it for a while, Cash said. It’s okay to feel it, but we don’t want him changing his bat path or the mechanics of his swing.

He was available off the bench last night and could start this evening.

The New What Next: Rays look to salvage the series against Boston on Sunday

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A win would provide some momentum ahead of the Rays upcoming homestand. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

After losing their second game in as many days, the Tampa Bay Rays are in salvage mode on Sunday, in the series finale against the Red Sox. If they can eke out a win, they will end their nine-game road trip through the AL East with a 5-4 record.

Tyler Glasnow put the Rays in a four-run hole early on Saturday, struggling through a 28-pitch first inning.

But after allowing four runs on back-to-back doubles, three consecutive walks, two steals and a Jake Bauers throwing error, Glasnow settled in and worked impressively into the seventh. The right-hander retired his final 12 batters, and 17 of his last 18 overall, following J.D. Martinez’s majors-most 38th homer in the third inning.

In his fourth outing since coming to Tampa Bay, Glasnow worked a career-high 6-2/3 innings, allowing three hits and three walks, striking out four on 94 pitches (50 strikes, 53% strike rate, 15/25 first-pitch strikes).

Glasnow didn’t have his best stuff, with only his fastball as the most reliable offering.

I just kind of realized this is what I had today and just go out and compete as hard as I can and get out of that fix-it mode. I went out after the first and did what I had to do, Glasnow said. In Pittsburgh things like that would happen and I wasn’t able to go out and complete the day so I’m definitely happy with going back out after the first and getting through 6-2/3.

The New What Next

Diego Castillo (3-2, 3.63 ERA) will open for Tampa Bay, while Jalen Beeks (1-1, 8.03 ERA) — who was traded from Boston for Nathan Eovaldi — will provide length. They will be opposed by Hector Velazquez (7-0, 2.77 ERA), who will start for the injured and previously scheduled Chris Sale.

Castillo threw a scoreless frame in Friday’s 7-3 defeat. 

Beeks spent four years plus working his way through Boston’s farm system and made two one-day cameos for the Red Sox this season prior to the trade on July 25.

The southpaw told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) he’s looking forward for the chance to face his former team this afternoon.

Just the competitiveness in me, I want to pitch here again, especially this year, Beeks said. I’m just happy to be in the big leagues obviously, but it’s pretty cool I might get the opportunity to face them so quickly after (the trade). So I’m excited.

Velazquez hasn’t thrown more than 52 pitches or three innings since April, so the Red Sox could use the game as a bullpen day, with Drew Pomeranz and Brandon Workman available to provide length.

Rays 8/19/18 Starting Lineup

Smith RF
Duffy 3B
Bauers LF
Pham CF
Wendle SS
Cron 1B
Choi DH
Lowe 2B
Sucre C
Castillo RHP

Noteworthiness

— Since only Adam Kolarek was needed on Saturday, Tampa Bay should have a fresh bullpen.

— Jesus Sucre’s right wrist “felt way better” and is in the lineup today for the first time since hurting it on a swing Tuesday.

— Even though LHP Vidal Nuno (hamstring) wasn’t sharp in his first rehab game on Friday he, more importantly, felt fine and is scheduled to make a few more rehab starts.