After dropping two of three in Houston, the Tampa Bay Rays look to end the regular season on a high note, when they start a three-game set against the New York Tankees Yankees on Friday. The Yankees took two of three from the Blue Jays in Toronto.
At 98-61 on the season, the Rays enter play 37 games above .500. Kevin Cash and Co. are looking at these final three games as an audition of sorts, as they are trying to finalize the American League Division Series roster based largely on the player’s performance over the weekend.
Considering that the Rays dropped both games against the Astros by a run, it would be safe to say they had chances to win the series. On Tuesday, JT Chargois was squeezed on a couple of strike calls that were instead called balls and as a consequence, Houston walked it off on a bases-loaded walk. Then on Thursday, Tampa Bay went 0-2 wRISP and stranded three runners on the base paths. Oh hey, Kiermaier, running yourself into a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play isn’t a good look. I digress.
The Rays pitching staff looked good in Houston, relinquishing just one two-out run overall. They finished the month of September with a 3.70 ERA and a 3.82 FIP — 4.12 ERA and a 3.98 FIP for the starters, and a 3.25 ERA and a 3.64 FIP for the relief corps. They head into New York to face a team holding onto the slim hope of a postseason berth; the Yankees maintain a 2.0 game lead in the Wildcard standings over Boston and Seattle, who are currently tied for the second spot. Tampa Bay could conceivably end the Yankees season this weekend.
While Tampa Bay’s offense has been more well-rounded than New York over the last two weeks, New York has hit more homers. The Yankees have also struck out more, and you know what they say, “a home run hitting team is one with a lot of swing and miss.” With the Shanes going Friday and Saturday, and a resurgent Wacha in the season finale, this could be a pretty fun final tuneup series for your 2021 American League East champs.
PITCHING PROBABLES
Over the next three days, Kevin Cash will turn to Shane McClanahan (10-6, 3.44 ERA), Shane Baz (2-0, 1.69 ERA), and Michael Wacha (3-5, 5.26 ERA). Aaron Boone will counter with Nestor Cortes (2-2, 2.85 ERA), Jordan Montgomery (6-6, 3.49 ERA), and a pitcher to be named before the finale.
Shane McClanahan allowed one run on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts through five innings on Saturday. The Marlins embarked on a hit parade against McClanahan across his first three frames, yet the southpaw retired eight of the final nine batters he faced to turn the tides of his evening. The only damage to McClanahan came on a third-inning solo homer off the bat of Miguel Rojas. After surrendering four runs in five innings against the Red Sox to start the month of September, McClanahan boasts a 1.20 ERA and a 3.25 K/BB in his last three starts. Overall, he maintains a 3.44 ERA and a 3.36 FIP, to go along with a 1.28 WHIP and a 3.73 K/BB across 120.1 innings of work.
Nestor Cortes surrendered two runs on four hits across 4.1 innings Saturday against Boston. He struck out four. Cortes gave up a solo homer to Kevin Plawecki in the third inning and was chased from the game with one out in the fifth after allowing singles to Plawecki and Kyle Schwarber. Cortes hasn’t been able to complete five innings in either of his last two turns, although he’s at least limited the damage to five total runs while providing 11 strikeouts against just two walks. On the season, he owns a 2.85 ERA and a 3.77 FIP, to go along with a 1.08 WHIP and a 3.92 K/BB across 88.1 innings of work. He is 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA in one start against the Rays this season. Key Matchups: Ji-Man Choi (1-3), Nelson Cruz (1-1, HR, RBI), Yandy Díaz (2-7, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Wander Franco (1-2), Kevin Kiermaier (1-4, 2 RBI, BB), Brandon Lowe (2B, HR, 4 RBI), Francisco Mejía (1-2)
Shane Baz allowed three hits and a walk over 5.2 scoreless innings Sunday against the Marlins. He struck out nine on 82 pitches (52 strikes, 63% strike rate). Baz started the game with three perfect frames and didn’t let a Marlin reach scoring position until the sixth inning. The rookie right-hander has looked strong in his first two big-league appearances, registering a 14.00 K/BB and a 0.56 WHIP, with a 1.69 ERA and a 3.25 FIP through 10.2 innings.
Jordan Montgomery tossed five innings of one-run ball against the Red Sox on Sunday, allowing seven hits while striking out four. Montgomery has been excellent of late and has surrendered one run or fewer runs in each of his last three outings while tossing at least five frames in each one of those contests. While he had an outing to forget against the Mets on September 10, when he allowed seven runs (five earned) across 3.1 frames, he’s been outstanding the rest of the month and boasts a 3.33 ERA with a 12.2 K/9 to go along with a 4.71 K/BB through 24.1 innings across five September appearances. He is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in five starts against the Rays this season. Key Matchups: Ji-Man Choi (1-3), Wander Franco (1-2), Brandon Lowe (1-4), Manuel Margot (5-14, 3 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB), Austin Meadows (3-11), Francisco Mejía (2-5, HR, RBI), Mike Zunino (2-6, 2 HR, 3 RBI)
Michael Wacha pitched five hitless and scoreless innings against the Astros on Tuesday. He allowed two free passes while striking out six. Even though Wacha sat at just 61 pitches (41 strikes, 67% strike rate) through five frames, although manager Kevin Cash chose to pull him and go to the ‘pen. It was a superb effort by the right-hander, as he notched his first scoreless outing since late July. Wacha has allowed two or fewer earned runs in five of his past six outings, posting a 3.38 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and a 5.67 K/BB across 29.1 innings over that stretch.
TBA
NOTEWORTHINESS
— Yankees first baseman Luke Voit was placed on the 10-day Injured List, while outfielder Joey Gallo and second baseman DJ LeMahieu are both listed as questionable to play on Friday with injuries.