Chris Archer is encouraged by teammates after giving up a two-run home run during the fifth-inning on  July 19, 2015. (Photo Credit: Aaron Vincent Elkaim/The Canadian Press via AP)
Chris Archer is encouraged by teammates after giving up a two-run home run during the fifth-inning on July 19, 2015. (Photo Credit: Aaron Vincent Elkaim/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Tampa Bay Rays hope that interleague play will knock them out of their malaise, and provide the team’s scuffling offense a boost when they visit the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, to start a three-game series.

Tampa Bay is 6-3 against the National League this season while batting .279 and averaging five runs per game — much better than the team’s overall marks of .238 and 3.59. The Rays are coming off a subpar three game set against Toronto in which they totaled just five runs while losing two of three. They  managed only four hits in a 4-0 loss in the series finale, on Sunday. On the other hand, at 32-62 the Phillies own the worst record in baseball. Philadelphia finished a three-game sweep of the Marlins with an 8-7 victory.

Kevin Cash will look throw Matt Moore, Nathan Karns, and Jake Odorizzi over the next three games. Moore (1-0, 7.07 ERA) continues his search for consistency since returning from Tommy John surgery. The lefty is coming off best of his three starts since returning from DL, where he limited Houston to three runs on five hits in five innings, earning his first victory since September 29, 2013. Moore has eight strikeouts and seven walks overall in 2015, and has allowed eight runs and 15 hits in nine innings combined over his first two starts since April 2014. Karns (4-5, 3.63 ERA) was ambushed in a loss to the Royals on July 9, allowing seven runs on nine hits in six innings. Odorizzi (5-6, 2.80 ERA) was roughed up for six runs on six hits, while walking five and striking out just one over 4-1/3 innings of a 6-2 loss to Toronto on Friday night.

The Rays have won four of six meetings since losing to the Phillies in five games in the 2008 World Series.

Rays and Phillies series starters over the last 30 days.
Rays and Phillies series starters over the last 30 days.
Rays and Phillies offensive production over the last 30 days.
Rays and Phillies offensive production over the last 30 days.
Rays and Phillies by the numbers.
Rays and Phillies by the numbers.
David Buchanan: Buchanan (0-5, 7.58 ERA), who is winless in 2015, is coming off his best start of the season, yielding just one run while scattering eight hits over five innings in a no-decision against the Giants on July 11. However, the 26-year-old Atlanta native allowed 24 runs over 24-2/3 innings in five April starts before being demoted to Triple-A. Buchanan rejoined rotation just before the All-Star Break. The 26 year-old righty went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts last season. He has never faced the Rays.

Aaron Nola: Nola (3-1, 3.58 ERA) will be called up to make his major league debut Tuesday night.  The Phillies top prospect features an 89-93 mph fastball (ranked 50/55+ by FanGraphs) that has a touch of run, a 76-79 mph curveball (ranked 55/60) that starts behind right-handed hitters’ backs and crosses through the zone late, and an 80-84 mph change-up (ranked 40/50+) that features a bit of fade and sink. Per Nathaniel Stoltz (FanGraphs),

Nola has a good idea of what he’s doing on the mound and can spot his pitches well. While his mechanics are unconventional, they are relatively simple and he’s coordinated enough to repeat his motion. He didn’t command his off-speed pitches particularly well in the outing–they tended to either be get-me-over offerings or chase pitches far out of the zone–and he’ll need to get more precise in that area as he advances, but there’s no reason he can’t have solid-average command in the future.

Adam Morgan: Per Rotowire, Morgan (1-2, 3.91 ERA) allowed two runs on four hits, walking three and striking out three over 6-1/3 innings of a no-decision against Miami on Friday night. The 25 year-old lefty has relies primarily on his 90 mph four seam fastball that results in a fair number of fly-balls, and a swing-and-miss 81 mph slider. He also mixes in a whiff worthy 78 mph change-up, and rarely throws a 73 mph curveball that generates weak poppers. He too has not faced the Rays.

Noteworthiness

— Evan Longoria is 2-20 with five strikeouts in his last six games for Tampa Bay.

— Steven Souza Jr. (finger), the team’s leader in homers with 15, is expected to return from the disabled list on Tuesday. Outfielders Joey Butler (5-for-his-last-45) or Grady Sizemore (1-for-his-last-27) the most likely candidates to be optioned or designated for assignment to make room on the 25-man roster for Souza.

— Jim Hickey on the Phillies fan’s belligerence:

Incidentally, Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) wrote about the Rays 2008 World Series against the Phillies in Sunday’s Rays Tales. It’s a must read if ever there was one.

— Ryan Howard is 8-22 during a six-game hitting streak, boasting at least one RBI in five consecutive contests.

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