After splitting a four-game series with the Royals, the Tampa Bay Rays departed for the desert southwest, where they will start a three-game series against Evan Longoria and the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. The D’Backs dropped two of three to the Giants over the weekend.
At 54-27 on the season, the Rays enter the second half of the 2023 campaign 27 games over .500, and 4.0 games up on the second-place Orioles in the division. The Diamondbacks enter play atop the NL West by 2.5 games over the Giants.
Tampa Bay won the finale against the Royals on Sunday, thus earning a split against the worst team in the American League. Yandy Díaz collected a run and four of the Rays’ seven total hits, while José Siri hit his 14th homer in the contest to help spark the Rays’ offense. While the pitching staff had a difficult time with the Royals, the Rays’ offense put up a solid showing in the series and over the last week, slashing .298 BA/.361 OBP/.429 SLG/.790 OPS over the last seven days, with a .369 BABIP and a 126 wRC+.
Arizona avoided a sweep in San Francisco on Sunday when Alek Thomas collected three hits and a run, while Christian Walker (RBI) and Ketel Marte (two runs, two RBI) each added two in the win. Marte also went deep in the game, breaking open a 2-1 game in the eighth inning with his 14th long ball of the season. The Diamondbacks put up a decent slash line over the last week, maintaining a .271 BA/.340 OBP/.397 SLG/.737 OPS line over the last seven days, with a .325 BABIP and a 102 wRC+.
The Rays enter play with an overall 3.59 ERA and 4.00 FIP (3.35 ERA and 3.58 FIP for the starters, 3.87 ERA, and 4.48 FIP for the relievers). Over the last week, Tampa Bay maintains an uncharacteristic 4.83 ERA and 4.30 FIP (6.23 ERA and 4.62 FIP for the starters, 3.04 ERA and 3.90 FIP for the relievers) which is a significant improvement for the maligned bullpen, but a regression for the starting rotation.
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks maintain an overall 4.43 ERA and 4.24 FIP (4.62 ERA and 4.32 FIP for the starters, 4.12 ERA, and 4.12 FIP for the relievers). Those numbers are pretty parred for the course over the last week, with Arizona’s hurlers putting up a combined 4.59 ERA and a 3.72 FIP (4.41 ERA and a 4.27 FIP for the starters, and a 4.96 ERA and a 2.53 FIP for the relievers).
Tampa Bay went 2-1 against Arizona the last time the two youngest teams in the league faced one another, 2019, and put up a +13 run differential.
Pitching Probables
Over the next three days, Kevin Cash will turn to Taj Bradley (5-3, 3.86 ERA, 2.67 FIP), Zach Eflin (9-3, 3.35 ERA, 3.39 FIP), and Yonny Chirinos (3-3, 3.91 ERA, 4.90 FIP) in some capacity. Torey Lovullo will counter with Zac Gallen (9-2, 2.84 ERA, 2.58 FIP), Zach Davies (1-4, 7.82 ERA, 4.19 FIP), and a pitcher to be named before the series finale.
Taj Bradley allowed one run on three hits over six innings against the Orioles on Wednesday. He struck out eight, did not walk a batter, and threw 83 pitches (61 strikes, 73% strike rate). Bradley struck out the first two batters of the game and cruised through the first two frames before surrendering a third-inning leadoff homer to Ramon Urias. The rookie right-hander was able to shake it off, however, retiring the next 10 hitters he faced while going six innings for the first time in his career. He also didn’t issue a walk Wednesday for the third time this season while fanning eight, giving him 19 strikeouts over his last two starts. Overall, Bradley maintains a 3.86 ERA and a 2.67 FIP, with a 1.20 WHIP, and a 4.73 K/BB over 49.0 innings.
Zac Gallen allowed one run on three hits and one walk over seven innings against the Brewers on Wednesday. He struck out four. The only run Gallen allowed came on a solo homer by Raimel Tapia in the fifth as he held the Brewers to three hits over seven innings on 91 pitches (59 strikes, 65% strike rate). Even though the long ball pocked Gallen’s fourth consecutive turn allowing a homer, he’s logged two earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts. Gallen is a perfect 7-0 at home with a 1.00 ERA and 9.57 K/BB through eight starts (54.0 innings). He relies primarily on a 93 mph fourseam fastball and an 83 mph swing-and-miss 12/6 curveball, while also mixing in a firm 86 mph changeup that has some natural sink to it, a 90 mph cutter that has some natural sink and strong cutting action, and a hard 88 mph slider. Gallen has never faced the Rays.
Zach Eflin allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings against the Royals. He struck out seven and threw 98 pitches (67 strikes, 68% strike rate). The damage against the right-hander came on early homers by Nick Pratto and Salvador Perez, yet Eflin settled in, allowing Tampa Bay’s offense to get rolling. The quality start was his sixth in his last seven turns — a stretch in which he sports a 3.32 ERA. Overall, Eflin maintains a 3.35 ERA and a 3.39 FIP, with a 1.03 WHIP, and a 5.60 K/BB on the season. Eflin is 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA in three career outings (two starts) against the D’Backs.
Zach Davies allowed six runs on six hits and four walks over four innings against San Francisco on Friday. He struck out two and threw 79 pitches (40 strikes, 51% strike rate). Davies continues to struggle mightily this season, as he now has a 7.82 ERA and a 4.19 FIP, with a 1.82 WHIP across 35.2 innings on the season. He relies primarily on a 90 mph sinker that has slight arm-side run and an 81 mph changeup that has some natural sink and arm-side fade, while also mixing in a whiffy 90 mph fourseam fastball that has some natural sinking action and has slight arm-side run, an 88 mph cutter that has little cutting action, and a 77 mph curveball with sharp downward bite. Davies is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in one career start (7.0 innings) against Tampa Bay. Key Matchups: Manuel Margot (2-5, RBI), Francisco Mejía (1-2), Harold Ramírez (1-2, 3B)
Yonny Chirinos allowed eight runs on nine hits and two walks over 5.1 innings against the Royals on Saturday. He struck out three and threw 96 pitches (63 strikes, 66% strike rate). Chirinos allowed a season-high eight runs, including a solo homer to Drew Waters in the third inning and a three-run shot to Freddy Fermin in the fourth. With a handful of the Rays’ starting options on the 60-day Injured List, Chirinos has been thrust into the rotation for four starts, where he’s posted a 6.43 ERA with a 1.25 K/BB. Overall, he maintains a 3.91 ERA and a 4.90 FIP, with a 1.14 WHIP, and a 1.44 K/BB across 48.1 innings.
TBA
The Music That Influenced This Preview
Working-class politics filtered through Stone Roses influenced rock from these hardcore punk vets. I LOVE Blending, by High Vis.