TAMPA BAY RAYS NEWS

Ji-Man Choi - Three hits, including homer, in loss Choi went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk in Wednesday's loss to the Red Sox.

Impact Choi singled in the first inning before launching a two-run homer off Nick Pivetta in his next at-bat in the third frame. He later added another single and a walk in subsequent at-bats. The home run was the 31-year-old's 11th of the year and first since Sept. 13. Choi finished the year having produced at least one hit in four of his final six games, batting .421 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored over that stretch. The first baseman will end the 2022 regular season with a .233 average, 11 homers, 52 RBI and 36 runs scored over 356 at-bats in 113 games with the Rays.

OCTOBER 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Fleming - Struggles in spot start Fleming (2-5) was tagged with the loss after he pitched 4.2 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits while striking out four in Wednesday's loss to the Red Sox.

Impact Fleming struggled to keep the Red Sox of the basepaths Wednesday, surrendering eight hits, including two home runs, most notably a three-run shot by J.D. Martinez in the opening frame. It was the left-hander's first outing in the majors since Sept. 14 and his third start on the campaign overall. Over three appearances against the Red Sox in 2022, Fleming gave up 11 runs over 12.2 frames while striking out 11 batters. The 26-year-old will finish the regular season having posted a 6.43 ERA and 1.89 WHIP with 29 punchouts over 35 innings across 10 appearances, including three starts, with the Rays.

OCTOBER 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

2022 MLB playoffs: One thing that could make or break each team's postseason

Sure, the stars come out in October. But to win the World Series, a team needs more than that. Rowan Kavner picks an X-factor for each playo...

OCTOBER 6, 2022

Wild-card Rays lose 5th straight, fall 6-3 to Red Sox

The playoff-bound Tampa Bay Rays lost their fifth straight game to finish the regular season, giving up a pair of home runs to J

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

2022 MLB Playoffs: FOX Sports' experts pick the winners of every series

Before the MLB playoffs begin Friday, FOX Sports' experts make their picks all the way through the World Series. And some of them might surp...

OCTOBER 5, 2022

Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays A.L. Wild Card Game Times Announced The best-of-3 series begins in Cleveland on Friday afternoon.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Jose Siri - Hits bench Wednesday Siri is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Manuel Margot will shift over to center field while Siri heads to the bench for the regular-season finale. Siri started in both of the first two games of the series in Boston and went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

MLB releases complete wild-card schedule

The MLB wild-card round begins Friday! Here's the full schedule.

OCTOBER 5, 2022

Christian Bethancourt - Not starting Wednesday Bethancourt isn't in the lineup Wednesday against Boston, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Bethancourt started the last three games and went 3-for-8 with an RBI, a walk and two strikeouts. Rene Pinto will take over behind the plate and bat seventh during Wednesday's regular-season finale.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Yandy Díaz - Retreats to bench Diaz isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Diaz started Tuesday against Boston and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. He'll head to the bench for the third time in the last four games while Jonathan Aranda takes over at the hot corner and bats ninth.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Wander Franco - Absent from Wednesday's lineup Franco isn't starting Wednesday against Boston, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Franco has gone 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a triple, a walk and a strikeout over the last two games, and he'll be on the bench for Wednesday's regular-season finale. Taylor Walls is taking over at shortstop and batting eighth.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

David Peralta - Returns to lineup Peralta (hip) is starting Wednesday against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Peralta was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to a hip issue, but he'll start in left field and bat sixth during Wednesday's regular-season finale. Over his last four games, he's gone 5-for-12 with two RBI, a walk and five strikeouts.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Fleming - Called up prior to start Fleming was recalled from Triple-A Durham ahead of Wednesday's start against the Red Sox, Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun reports.

Impact Fleming will start Wednesday's regular-season finale since the Rays are already guaranteed to play the Guardians in the wild-card round this weekend. He's logged a 6.23 ERA and 1.91 WHIP in 30.1 innings over nine appearances (two starts) in the big leagues this season, but it's possible that he'll be allowed to pitch through adversity if needed Wednesday in order to preserve the Rays' bullpen ahead of the postseason.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Colin Poche - Placed on IL Poche (oblique) was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday, Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun reports.

Impact Poche sustained a right oblique strain Tuesday against the Red Sox and will miss the remainder of the season. Josh Fleming was recalled to take Poche's place on the active roster ahead of Wednesday's regular-season finale.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

MLB playoff picture all set, best-of-3 matchups start Friday

The entire Major League Baseball playoff picture is now set

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rays try to end 4-game road losing streak, play the Red Sox

The Tampa Bay Rays visit the Boston Red Sox looking to break a four-game road skid

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Colin Poche - Out with oblique strain Poche suffered a strained right oblique during Tuesday's loss to the Red Sox and will miss the rest of the season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Poche retired only one of the five batters he faced and allowed four runs before he exited Tuesday's contest, and he'll now miss the rest of the year with the oblique injury. The left-hander had seven saves and 23 holds with a 3.99 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 64:22 K:BB over 58.2 innings during 2022.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Fleming - Set to start finale Fleming will be recalled from Triple-A Durham to start Wednesday against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact The left-hander has a 6.23 ERA, 1.91 WHIP and 25:12 K:BB across 30.1 innings with the Rays this season, and he'll rejoin the big club for the final game of the regular season. Tampa Bay is already locked in to face the Guardians in the wild-card round Friday, so Fleming could have some extra leash compared to his previous outings.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jeffrey Springs - Short start in short game Springs (9-5) took the loss Tuesday, allowing one run on two hits and one walk over three innings against the Red Sox. He struck out three.

Impact After throwing at least five innings in 11 of his previous 12 starts, Springs was pulled early Tuesday after completing the third inning. The one run he surrendered came on a Christian Arroyo single after he allowed a leadoff walk to Alex Verdugo and a base hit to Eric Hosmer. Springs completes his season with a career-high 135.1 innings pitched to go along with a 2.46 ERA and 144 punchouts.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Rays will head to Cleveland for wild-card series after rain-shortened loss to Red Sox, Mariners victory BOSTON — The Rays are headed to Cleveland for the best-of-three wild-card series that opens Friday.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • KANSASCITY.COM

Cleveland Guardians to face Tampa Bay Rays in Wild Card Series The Guardians have secured the No. 3 seed and will face the No. 6-seeded Rays. Game 1 is Friday. Game times are yet to be announced.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • BEACONJOURNAL.COM

Guardians officially set to face Tampa Bay in wild card round of American League postseason after Seattle clinches No. 5 seed Tampa's rain-shortened loss to the Red Sox on Tuesday locked the Rays into the No. 3 wild card spot in the AL.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • CLEVELAND.COM

Bogaerts hits slam, Eovaldi strong as Red Sox beat Rays 6-0

Xander Bogaerts hit a grand slam and Nathan Eovaldi pitched five scoreless innings in what could be his final appearance in a Red Sox uniform to help the Boston Red Sox beat the pl...

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

David Peralta - Scratched Tuesday with hip issue Peralta (hip) was scratched from Tuesday's lineup against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact It seemed that Peralta timed his return perfectly with the day off Monday against a lefty and the platoon advantage Tuesday, but his hip may not have felt right as he was testing it before the game. It's also possible that with it raining in Boston, the Rays opted to play it safe and keep Peralta on the bench. Jonathan Aranda is starting in left field.

OCTOBER 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Drew Rasmussen - Being saved for postseason Rasmussen will not make his scheduled start Wednesday in Boston as the Rays look to line him up for the postseason, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact This makes sense from the team's perspective. Rasmussen had a 2.40 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 63.2 innings over his final 11 appearances. It's unclear who will make the spot start Wednesday.

OCTOBER 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE