TNWN: Rays vs Athletics — a Journey to the End of the East Bay

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Flush it. After being swept by the New York Yankees — and outscored 21-4 over the life of the series — the Tampa Bay Rays made a Journey to the End of the East Bay, Oakland, where they will start a four-game set against the Athletics on Thursday. Oakland is coming off a three-game sweep of the Orioles.

Let’s call it what it was: An ugly shit show. The Rays couldn’t hit the ball to save their souls. They couldn’t capitalize on runners in scoring position opportunities — going just 3-for-17, good for a .176 BA wRISP. And they couldn’t contain the Yankees offense.

Don’t look now, but Tampa Bay’s HR/9 has quickly crept up in the month of June, which has impacted their ability to win games over this tough 10-game stretch (including a previous series loss against the Athletics), of which the team has won just three. Entering the month of June, the Rays had allowed a total 47 home runs over the previous two months plus three days. Since, however, they have relinquished 21 homers (1.11 HR/9) in the last 19 days. Six of those 21 long balls came in the previous series against the Yankees.

We have not played good baseball in the last 10 days. … We gotta fix it.

— Kevin Cash

Oakland continues to be a power hitting ballclub, boasting a .198 ISO over the last 14 days — good for a 111 wRC+ and a 6.8 wRAA over that span. As I said a couple of weeks ago: Because Oakland is so dependent on the long ball, it will be up to the Rays pitching staff to keep the ball in the yard over the next three days ⁠— something the Rays are capable of doing when things are going right. If they can’t, this promises to be a long four days in the Bay Area.

Pitching Probables

Over the next four days, Kevin Cash will throw starter Charlie Morton (8-1, 2.37 ERA) and bulk guys Jalen Beeks (5-0, 2.73 ERA), Yonny Chirinos (7-3, 3.00 ERA), and Ryan Yarbrough (5-3, 5.26 ERA) in some capacity. Bob Melvin will counter with Frankie Montas (9-2, 2.85 ERA), Tanner Anderson (0-1, 3.27 ERA), Mike Fiers (7-3, 4.28 ERA), and Brett Anderson (7-4, 3.68 ERA).

Charlie Morton allowed four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine over six innings against the Angels on Saturday. Morton lost his first decision since last August after permitting three runs in the second inning on a Brian Goodwin RBI double and a David Fletcher home run. Justin Bour added another tally on a solo home run in the fourth inning. Still, the right-hander has an outstanding 2.37 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 3.45 K/BB on the season. Morton blanked the Athletics across seven innings on June 10, allowing two hits and two walks while fanning seven. He is 0-1 with a 2.78 ERA in two career starts in Oakland.

Frankie Montas allowed two runs on six hits and a walk over six innings on Saturday, while striking out nine. The Athletics put up three runs in the first inning and Montas never looked back, recording his third straight quality start and 10th of the season while earning his fifth straight decision. The right-hander carries a 2.85 ERA and a 4.19 K/BB across 82 innings this season. Montas is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA against the Rays, however, he has thrown just one inning against the Rays and faced just four hitters. He relies primarily on a blazing 97 mph sinker with arm-side run and a hard 89 mph worm-killer slider, while also mixing in a whiffy 87 mph splitter with arm-side fade, and a 97 mph four-seam fastball.

Jalen Beeks allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two over three innings against the Angels on Sunday. Beeks wasn’t sharp in the series finale, surrendering a run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly and allowing another run in the fifth on an infield single. Despite a shaky outing, Beeks owns a 2.73 ERA with 49 punchouts over 56 innings this season. The left-hander allowed an unearned run on two hits, one walk, and a hit by pitch across four innings against Oakland on June 11.

Tanner Anderson threw 5-1/3 innings on Sunday and allowed two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out three. Anderson was less than dominant — inducing only three swinging strikes — although he held the Mariners to one extra-base hit (a two-run homer by former Ray Mallex Smith) and was in line for the win when he exited the game in the sixth inning. He has pitched into the sixth inning and given up exactly three hits and two runs in both of his starts this season … one of which was against the Rays. Key Matchups: Ji-Man Choi (1-2), Kevin Kiermaier (1-2), Brandon Lowe (1-3, HR, RBI)

Yonny Chirinos allowed three runs on five hits and a walk over six innings while striking out six on Monday. The right-hander fired off his second consecutive quality start, but with Masahiro Tanaka throwing a shutout for the Yankees, that wasn’t good enough. Chirinos owns a 3.00 ERA and a 4.53 K/BB over 81 innings this season. He allowed two runs on seven hits (including a homer) and a walk on June 12 against Oakland, while punching out seven.

Mike Fiers yielded two unearned runs on three hits and two walks across six innings on Monday, fanning four batters. Fiers has earned a win in three straight starts and has won five consecutive decisions dating back to May 7. Baltimore collected both of their runs in the second inning after a throwing error by Matt Chapman. Fiers lowered his ERA to 4.26 across 82-1/3 innings. He limited the Rays to two runs on three hits (including a homer) and a walk across six innings on June 11. Key Matchups: Willy Adames (2-2, HR, RBI, BB), Avisail Garcia (4-8, 2B), Guillermo Heredia (1-3, 3B), Kevin Kiermaier (3-10), Tommy Pham (1-3, HR, RBI)

Ryan Yarbrough threw three shutout innings on Tuesday, giving up just one hit with two strikeouts. Yarbrough entered as planned after Ryne Stanek recorded the first four outs, and departed with nobody on base and one out in the fifth. However, Chaz Roe immediately found trouble and allowed three runs in the frame. The left-hander continues to lower his ERA (from +8) and is 5-3 with a 5.26 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts across 51-1/3 innings across 11 appearances, four of which have been starts.

Brett Anderson allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk over seven innings while striking out two in his last start. The left-hander pitched to mostly weak contact, with the exception of Jonathan Villar’s fifth-inning solo shot, which was the only extra-base hit Anderson allowed. He’ll take a 3.68 ERA and 1.55 K/BB through 85-2/3 innings into the series finale on Sunday. Anderson limited the Rays to two runs on seven hits and a walk across 6-1/3 innings on June 12. Key Matchups: Avisail Garcia (1-4), Tommy Pham (3-3)

Noteworthiness

— The Rays replaced mediocrity with mediocrity, recalling RHP Austin Pruitt from Triple-A Durham while optioning LHP Adam Kolarek.

— Tampa Bay opens the series with Chaz Roe still on the roster even though he has pitched horribly.