After posting an embarrassing 2-11 wRISP in the first game of the series with Chicago — resulting in a 7-1 loss to the White Sox — the Tampa Bay Rays look to even the score with Alex Cobb on the mound. The right hander will be opposed by southpaw Chris Sale.
Tampa Bay allowed two homer runs in last night. The Rays are the 22nd team in Major League Baseball history to hit and allow 200 or more homers in a season.
The New What Next
Alex Cobb (1-1, 6.16 ERA) retired just four of 14 batters on Wednesday, in his fourth start since returning from Tommy John surgery. The righty had been pitching well since his return, maintaining a 3.06 ERA over three starts before Wednesday. The outing more than doubled Cobb’s ERA to an unsightly 6.16. This will be his first career appearance at U.S. Cellular Field; Cobb lost his only start against the ChiSox in 2012.
Chris Sale (16-9, 3.19 ERA) suffered an embarrassing loss against the Phillies on Wednesday, allowing six runs on seven hits while striking out five over four innings. Wednesday marked the Southpaw’s second-shortest outing, and most humiliating performance, of 2016.
You can read more about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 9/27/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe DH
Dickerson LF
Longoria 3B
Miller 1B
Mahtook CF
Casali C
Ramirez SS
Shaffer RF
Querecuto 2B
Cobb RHP
Noteworthiness
— Kevin Kiermaier, still suffering from the after effects of being hit by a pitch on Sunday, will sit out tonight’s ballgame.