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Tyler Glasnow headed to the 10-day IL; Rays 5/11/19 pre-game notes

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Tyler Glasnow was placed on the 10-day IL with a right forearm strain. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

The Tampa Bay Rays look to even the series against the New York Yankees tonight, after receiving relatively good news regarding right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who left last night’s ballgame with right forearm tightness.

An MRI revealed a mild forearm strain for the right-hander, not a tear in his UCL which likely would have necessitated Tommy John surgery. Glasnow was placed on the Injured List and will be shut down for 7-10 days. Depending on how he feels then, Glasnow can resume throwing and build back up, with the potential to return to the rotation in four-to-six weeks, or mid-to-late-June. With a spot open on the active roster, INF/OF Andrew Velazquez has been recalled from Triple-A Durham for at least the next five days when Glasnow would have made his next scheduled start.

Losing the right-hander is another blow for a team that already has Mike Zunino, Michael Perez, Matt Duffy and Joey Wendle on the IL. Yet the diagnosis and timetable for a return are positive as arm injuries go.

With the hurler out for at least the next month, Tampa Bay will rely on starters Blake Snell and Charlie Morton and bulk guys Yonny Chirinos and Jalen Beeks to help fill the void unless the team decides to make Chirinos a full-time starter.

There’s also the possibility that the Rays look to in-house options such as Ryan Yarbrough or Jake Faria to help with bullpen depth, or to slot into the starting rotation.

This is where we talk about our depth all the time. Our depth will be challenged and tested, and we have confidence in the guys and the options that we have.

— Kevin Cash

The Rays were able to fortify the catching ranks on Saturday by activating Travis d’Arnaud, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers during Friday’s ballgame.

To make room for D’Arnaud on the 40-man roster, Matt Duffy was placed on the 60-day DL. That means Duffy cannot be activated from the IL until May 27th. The third baseman will resume his rehab Monday with the Charlotte Stone Crabs. The team optioned catcher Nick Ciuffo back to Durham to clear space on the 25-man roster, leaving Anthony Bemboom to make his big league debut at some point in the near future.

The New What Next

Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.50 ERA) will open for the Rays today and is expected to be followed by bulk inning guy Yonny Chirinos (4-1, 3.52 ERA). They’ll be opposed by C.C. Sabathia (2-1, 3.20 ERA).

Ryne Stanek threw two scoreless frames on Tuesday in a win against the Diamondbacks. The right-hander has thrown scoreless baseball in eight of the nine games he’s opened. The Rays have allowed first-inning runs in each of the last two contests, so hopefully, Stanek can end that skid tonight.

Yonny Chirinos took a hard-luck loss against Baltimore on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits across 7-1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one. Chirinos was used as a traditional starter and ended up delivering a quality start for the Rays. The right-hander has pitched well with a 3.52 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 4.14 K/BB over 38-1/3 innings, with most of his damage coming in one outing in which he allowed six runs over 2-1/3 innings (April 12).

CC Sabathia gave up three earned runs on five hits over five innings while striking out five and walking three against the Mariners. The swarthy southpaw wasn’t particularly efficient, needing 99 pitches to make it through five innings, yet he was able to pick up his second victory of the season thanks to a lot of early run support. Sabathia has posted solid ratios over his five 2019 starts, performing to a 3.20 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP across 25-1/3 innings. Sabathia relies primarily on an 89 mph cutter with strong cutting action and an 80 mph sweeping slider, while also mixing in an 89 mph sinker, and a whiffy 83 mph worm-killer changeup. Sabathia is 17-16 with a 3.67 ERA in 48 career starts against Tampa Bay. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (2-8, RBI), Kevin Kiermaier (5-16, 2 HR, 2 RBI)

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

TNWN: Rays vs Yankees — a series preview

Rays 5/11/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Diaz 3B
  2. Pham LF
  3. Robertson 2B
  4. Garcia RF
  5. d’Arnaud C
  6. Meadows DH
  7. Heredia CF
  8. Adames SS
  9. Choi 1B
  10. Stanek Right-Handed Opener

Rays Roster Moves: Travis d’Arnaud acquired from LA, Tyler Glasnow exits game with right forearm tightness

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The Tampa Bay Rays acquired Travis d’Arnaud from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

With their two primary catchers on the IL, the Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher Travis d’Arnaud from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash considerations. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays placed 3B Matt Duffy on the 60-day IL.

D’Arnaud has had a rather garbled season thus far. After rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, he became the Mets’ backup catcher before he was released by them on May 4.

The Dodgers then signed the d’Arnaud, who is out-of-options, with designs of trying him at other positions, yet they quickly dealt him to the Rays, who are in need of a veteran backstop with Mike Zunino (quad strain) and Michael Perez (oblique strain) on the IL.

D’Arnaud is a bounce-back candidate that has been long considered a talented, quality-hitting catcher. The 30-year-old backstop is a career .242 hitter with his best year coming in 2015 when he finished with 12 home runs and a .825 OPS as a member of the Mets. Best of all, for the fiscally conscious Rays, New York is on the hook for d’Arnaud’s $3.52-million salary (less a pro-rated portion of the league minimum).

Super excited. Have heard nothing but fantastic things not only about the way the team plays, but the environment around the clubhouse as well. It’s going to be fun.

— Travis d’Arnaud

He is expected to join the Rays in Saturday, while Anthony Bemboom will likely head back to Durham to create a 25-man roster spot.

Glasnow exits game with right forearm tightness

The Rays pulled starter Tyler Glasnow from tonight’s game after he motioned to the dugout following a strikeout of Gleyber Torres on a curveball. Rays trainers came out to check on Glasnow before quickly walking off the field with the right-hander. The team announced that right forearm tightness was the cause for the move.

In a postgame interview with Tricia Whitaker (FoxSportsRays), Glasnow said there was no pop and no pain, just tightness in his forearm for a couple of pitches. He also said he remains optimistic.

I feel fine honestly. I don’t really feel it. I threw like six pitches to end the inning and all of them I felt just a little tightness in there. So I just wanted to shut it down, kind of a precautionary reason.

— Tyler Glasnow

Glasnow will be re-evaluated tomorrow and more will be known after a full examination. Even so, it’s not the most promising initial indication, as forearm issues can be related to elbow troubles. Still, it’s too early to assume a significant problem in the joint. For context, former Ray Chris Archer was pulled from a game in September 2017 with right lateral forearm tightness which did not necessitate a stint on the IL.

The organization will anxiously wait while the right-hander gets checked out. Glasnow has been incredible for Tampa Bay this season. His velocity sits at 97.5 mph with his four-seam fastball that boasts natural cutting action, which has allowed him to induce lots of weak contact. The right-hander has worked in the zone more frequently, reduced his pitches per inning to an efficient 14.1, and generated more first strikes than ever before, allowing him to work to a 1.47 ERA with a 6.4 K/BB entering tonight’s contest.

Should Glasnow be placed on the IL, the Rays could recall RHP Jake Faria from Triple-A Durham.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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RHP Tyler Glasnow will get the start in the series opener against the Orioles on Friday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays will cap a three-city road trip in Baltimore, where they are set to start a three-game series against the Orioles on Friday. After sweeping the Red Sox in Boston, the Rays split a four-game set against the Royals in Kansas City. The Orioles are coming off a series loss against the White Sox.

(Stats Credit: ESPN)

Don’t let the fact that the Orioles 10-games below .500 record deceive you, they have been better than the Rays, offensively speaking, over the last 14 days — outperforming Tampa Bay in most of the important categories.

(Stats Credit: FanGraphs)

Baltimore’s pitching staff, however, leaves a lot to be desired — performing to an overall 5.89 ERA/6.19 FIP across the first 36 games of the season. The starting rotation hasn’t been good, yet the relievers haven’t done the team any favors, combining for a 6.27 ERA/6.13 FIP across 135 innings of work. The bullpen has given up 34 of the 74 total home runs relinquished by Oriole hurlers (46%), and almost half of all the runs given up by the entire pitching staff (93 of 197, 47%).

The Rays enter Oriole Park at Camden Yards having taken two out of three from the Orioles a few series ago … not to mention the Orioles are 3-10 at home this season. Tampa Bay needs to bust out of its offensive slump, and a three-game series against Baltimore might just be what the doctor ordered.

Rays Pitching Probables

Over the next three days, Kevin Cash will lean on Tyler Glasnow (5-0, 1.75 ERA), and bulk guys Yonny Chirinos (4-0, 3.48 ERA) and Jalen Beeks (1-0, 2.45 ERA), both of whom will likely follow an opener. Brandon Hyde will respond with Dan Straily (1-1, 6.75 ERA), Dylan Bundy (0-4, 6.64 ERA), and John Means (3-3, 2.81 ERA).

(Stats Credit: FanGraphs)

Tyler Glasnow allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out nine across 6-2/3 innings on Sunday. Glasnow was spotted an early four-run lead and left the ballgame with a 4-2 lead after giving up a run in each of his final innings of work. The right-hander, who was named the AL pitcher of the month, has been stellar through six starts this season, posting a 1.75 ERA to go along with a 0.94 WHIP with 38 strikeouts in 36 innings of work.

Dan Straily gave up one run (unearned) over four innings on Saturday. He allowed three hits and one walk while fanning three in the Orioles 9-2 loss. The run came in the third inning on a single, an error and a sacrifice fly as the right-hander threw a hefty 89 pitches (55 strikes, 62% strike rate). Straily has compiled a 6.75 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP to go along with a 1.29 K/BB this season. The 30-year-old relies primarily on a 90 mph four-seam fastball, an 84 mph circle changeup that dives down and out of the zone, and an 84 mph extreme fly ball slider. Key Matchups: Kevin Kiermaier (1-4, 2B, BB), Tommy Pham (1-2, 2B, RBI), Mike Zunino (1-4, HR, RBI)

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)

Jalen Beeks fired off 6-2/3 scoreless frames on Wednesday, allowing a hit, two walks, and a hit batsman. He fanned six. Beeks turned in a highly impressive performance after the opener, Ryne Stanek, gave up three earned runs over his sole inning of work. Beeks has excelled in the “bulk guy” role in two consecutive appearances, also blanking the Royals across 4-2/3 innings on April 23, racking up seven strikeouts along the way. The southpaw has put up good numbers, sporting an outstanding 2.45 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and a 2.6 K/BB across 25-2/3 innings of work

John Means yielded four runs on six hits and a walk over five innings on Monday. He struck out two batters and allowed two homers. Means hadn’t allowed more than one run in any of his seven appearances (three starts) prior to Monday’s outing, yet he has performed to a lucky .271 BABIP, which is belied by a 4.48 FIP. Put another way, he’s been very lucky this season. Means relies on a whiffy 92 mph four-seam fastball with a lot of backspin and an 80 mph changeup with slight cut action, while also mixing in an 84 mph slider with little depth, and a 76 mph 12/6 curveball.

Rays fall 8-5 to the Yankees; Glasnow pleased by his outing

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Willy Adames hit the first of three fifth inning solo shots against the Yankees on Sunday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The start to the Tampa Bay Rays Grapefruit League season hasn’t gone well after dropping three in a row, including an 8-5 loss to the Yankees on Sunday. Try not to put too much thought into it, after all, it is just Spring Training. Tyler Glasnow fanned four across 1-2/3 innings, while the Rays hit four homers — the bright spots for Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Glasnow was charged with two runs on three hits in 1-2/3 innings. The right-hander did not allow a free pass, threw 19 of 28 pitches for strikes, and hit 98 miles per hour with his fastball.

Tyler Glasnow fanned four on Sunday

Glasnow, who added a pause to his delivery for deception, also worked on his quick step to the plate when working out of the stretch. He was pleased with his first outing of the Spring.

Felt like I’ve been doing it for a while, felt really comfortable as far as delivery stuff goes. … Just kind of messing around with different sequences and whatnot, but overall I’m pleased.

…

I think today was very encouraging with how comfortable it was with the first time I had done it. I did it in BPs and bullpens and stuff, but once you get out there, you don’t know how its going to go. But it probably felt more comfortable today than most of my bullpens. It was nice to get back into that go-and-compete mode again.

— Tyler Glasnow

The Yankees scored first after Tyler Wade hit a one-out ground-rule double to left, and Luke Voit followed with an opposite-field run-scoring base hit to right-center.

Estevan Florial singled to start the second inning, swiped a base against Glasgow — who struggled to get a feel for his breaking ball — then came home on a pair of wild pitches.

I think with obviously (the) pitch execution, there were times (it could be better), passed ball, passed ball and (a run) scored — no excuses by any means, but it’s early. The spin did feel good, just have to make sure I incorporate it more so in the strike zone, especially early in counts, but overall it felt pretty good.

— Tyler Glasnow

Catcher Mike Zunino was impressed with Glasnow’s overall performance.

It’s unbelievable. You just look at him being as big as he is. but he’s a heck of an athlete and the stuff he has on top of it. There’s some deception, the stuff is outright nasty, so when you put those two together he’s really got a lot of stuff going for him.

— Mike Zunino

In his first appearance of the Spring, Ryne Stanek gave up a three-run homer to Voit in the fourth inning. The “opener” issued a one-out walk to DJ LeMahieu and gave up a single to Tyler Wade before Voit’s blast to left.

Willy Adames, Mike Zunino, and Austin Meadows tee’d off Yankee pitching in the fifth inning.

The Rays got on the board in the fifth inning when Adames and Zunino went back-to-back with a pair of solo home runs. Later in the inning, Meadows homered off the batter’s eye in center field to make it a three-run contest.

I felt like I hit it pretty well. I’m not sure if it was wind-aided or not, but if it was cool, if it wasn’t, it’s cool. It’s still a home run.

— Austin Meadows

An inning later, Jason Coats hit his second homer of the Spring for Tampa Bay. Coats is the only player with multiple homers for the Rays.

The New What Next

Tampa Bay will host the Marlins on Monday. Colin Poche looks to bounce back from an inauspicious outing in the Grapefruit League opener when he takes the mound opposite of Jose Urena. Also slated to see mound time are Casey Sadler, Oliver Drake, Andrew Kittredge, Hunter Wood, and Brandon Lawson.

Rays 2/25/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Lowe 1B
  2. Pham LF
  3. Wendle 2B
  4. Diaz 3B
  5. McCarthy CF
  6. Robertson SS
  7. Zunino DH
  8. Coats RF
  9. Perez C
  10. Poche

Noteworthiness

— Kevin Kiermaier is tentatively set to return to the lineup on Tuesday in Sarasota. He has been out with a pretty nasty blister on his right heel.

— Kevin Cash said that there is no set date for Matt Duffy (hamstring) to start playing, although “he’s chomping at the bit, it’s more us slowing him down.”