Mariners look to extend win streak, take on the Rays
The Seattle Mariners are looking to keep a four-game win streak intact when they take on the Tampa Bay RaysAPRIL 27, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
TAMPA BAY RAYS 80-82 · 4TH IN AL EAST
80-82 · 4TH IN AL EAST
Wander Franco - Homers, drives in two Franco went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer in an 8-4 loss Tuesday against the Mariners.
Impact Franco homered off Matt Koch in the seventh inning. The homer ended an 0-for-12 mini-slump that saw his batting average drop below .350 for the first time all season. There's little to worry about, as the 21-year-old has homered four times in the last six games and has 12 extra-base hits in 16 appearances. Despite striking out twice Tuesday, the shortstop has only fanned seven times in 71 plate appearances this year.
APRIL 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
René Pinto - Homers in debut Pinto went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in an 8-4 loss Tuesday against the Mariners.
Impact Pinto entered the game in the fifth inning as a defensive replacement after Mike Zunino left with a bicep strain. After striking out in his first at-bat, he homered off Matt Koch in the seventh for his first major-league hit. The 25-year-old has been in the Rays' organization since 2014, compiling a .278/.334/.434 batting line across eight minor league seasons. With Zunino leaving the game with an injury and Francisco Mejia on the COVID-19 injured list, Pinto may be in line for more playing time in the near future.
APRIL 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Josh Fleming - Tagged for seven unearned runs Fleming (2-2) received the loss after allowing seven runs (none earned) on four hits, a walk, and a hit batsman in two innings of an 8-4 defeat Tuesday against Seattle.
Impact For the second time this season, Fleming served as the primary pitcher after Matt Wisler opened the game. The lefty entered the game to begin the third inning and retired all three batters via groundouts. The wheels came off in the fourth inning as Fleming was hit hard and Tampa Bay committed costly errors on consecutive plays, leading to seven unearned runs. All in all, he faced 11 batters and needed 44 pitches to complete the frame. While some of the issues Tuesday could be pinned on the Rays' defense, Fleming has struggled this season, allowing 18 hits in 12 innings.
APRIL 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Matt Wisler - Two innings as opener Wisler served as the opener and allowed two hits in two scoreless innings, adding two strikeouts in an 8-4 loss Tuesday against Seattle. He did not factor into the decision.
Impact Wisler pitched a perfect first inning and, after allowing consecutive singles, retired the final three batters of the second. The journeyman opened for the second time this season and has a 1.93 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 9.1 innings while striking out nearly a batter an inning. Those numbers are similar to his overall results since 2020 when he's sporting a 2.70 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 83.1 innings.
APRIL 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Rays make it easy for Mariners with a mess in the fourth inning Two errors, a walk, a hit batter and three hits add up to seven runs in an ugly frame,
APRIL 27, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM
Gilbert, Frazier lead Mariners past error-prone Rays, 8-4
Logan Gilbert pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings, Adam Frazier hit a three-run double and the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-4APRIL 27, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mike Zunino - Leaves with biceps strain Zunino was removed from Tuesday's game against the Mariners with a strained left biceps, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact Zunino struck out in his lone plate appearance Tuesday before exiting after the fourth inning. The Rays are already without Francisco Mejia (illness), who is on the COVID-19 injured list, leaving Rene Pinto as the only option behind the plate. It doesn't appear to be a serious injury, as manager Kevin Cash said the lopsided score played a part in Zunino's removal, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
APRIL 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
John Romano: The slightly unhinged case for Wander Franco and 3,000 hits ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — So here’s a crazy thought:
APRIL 26, 2022 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
Ryan Yarbrough - Needs another rehab start Yarbrough (groin) will make a second rehab start for Triple-A Durham on Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Yarbrough made the Opening Day roster but hit the injured list with a groin strain prior to making his season debut. He struggled significantly during his first rehab start Saturday, walking four and allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit while retiring just a single batter. He'll need at least one more outing to demonstrate that he's ready to return before the Rays feel comfortable activating him.
APRIL 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Rays report: Matt Wisler to open vs. Mariners Josh Fleming is expected to work the bulk of tonight’s innings; Ji-Man Choi is hitting cleanup.
APRIL 26, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM
Taylor Walls - On bench versus righty Walls is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Walls had seen an uptick in playing time recently with starts in five of the Rays' previous six games, but he'll likely move into more of a utility role following corner infielder Yandy Diaz's return Sunday from the COVID-19 injured list. With Diaz and Wander Franco typically starting on the left side of the infield when the Rays oppose right-handed pitching, the righty-hitting Walls will likely see most of his opportunities against left-handed pitching. On those occasions, Diaz typically moves across the diamond to replace the lefty-hitting Ji-Man Choi at first base.
APRIL 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Rays host the Mariners in first of 3-game series
The Tampa Bay Rays host the Seattle Mariners to open a three-game seriesAPRIL 26, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jeffrey Springs - Reinstated from IL Springs (COVID-19) was activated from the injured list Monday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact Springs was placed on the COVID-19-related injured list after being deemed a close contact, but his trip to the IL lasted only one day. Vidal Brujan was optioned back to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move.
APRIL 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Vidal Bruján - Heads back to Triple-A Brujan was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Monday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Impact Brujan was brought up to the big leagues Saturday and went 0-for-3 at the dish with a walk in one game during his brief stint with Tampa Bay. Jeffrey Springs (COVID-19) takes his spot on the active roster after being activated from the injured list.
APRIL 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Josh Fleming ready to help Rays in whatever role Notes | The lefty will work behind opener Matt Wisler Tuesday against Seattle, which dominated Tampa Bay last year.
APRIL 25, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM
Josh Fleming - Set to follow opener Fleming is expected to pitch behind opener Matt Wisler against the Mariners on Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Fleming also followed Wisler in his last outing but struggled versus the Cubs, as he allowed three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk over 3.1 innings, though he still picked up the win. Fleming has a 2.38 FIP and 13:2 K:BB across 10 frames this season, so he could be due for some positive regression.
APRIL 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Matt Wisler - Opening again Tuesday Wisler will open Tuesday's game against Seattle, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Wisler was a starter early in his career, so being the first pitcher on the mound shouldn't be uncomfortable for him. He's already filled the opener role once this season, recording five outs last Tuesday against the Cubs. He hasn't thrown more than two innings since 2020, so don't expect him to pitch particularly deep in Tuesday's game. Josh Fleming will handle the bulk of the innings behind him.
APRIL 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Ryan Yarbrough - No control in rehab outing Yarbrough (groin) retired only one of the six batters he faced Saturday in his rehab start with Triple-A Durham, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit and four walks during the...
Impact Since he was placed on the 10-day injured list April 11 with a left groin injury, Yarbrough was expected to need only one rehab appearance before slotting back into the Tampa Bay rotation. However, after Yarbrough's rough showing for Durham in which he threw only 10 of his 27 pitches for strikes, the Rays will likely want to see him right the ship in the minors before activating him. The Rays will need to break in a fifth starter for their home series with the Twins over the weekend, and it's possible the team opts for a bullpen game that day to allow Yarbrough to iron things out at Triple-A.
APRIL 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Yandy Díaz - Leaves yard for first time in 2022 Diaz went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Red Sox.
Impact Fresh off being reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list, Diaz put the finishing touches on Sunday's win with the seventh-inning long ball off lefty Jake Diekman. The home run was the first of the season for Diaz, who has produced only three extra-base hits through 51 plate appearances.
APRIL 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Cabrera could be the last for a while to reach 3,000 hits
Miguel Cabrera reached the 3,000-hit mark on a weekend afternoon in front of an adoring crowd at his home ballparkAPRIL 25, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ryan Thompson - Picks up save Thompson did not allow a baserunner and struck out one across a scoreless ninth inning to record the save Sunday against Boston.
Impact Thompson entered the game with a three-run lead and needed 16 pitches to retire the side in order to record his first save of the season. Andrew Kittredge had served as the team's primary closer to this point in the campaign, though he pitched two innings Saturday and was likely unavailable as a result. While Thompson has delivered 6.1 scoreless innings early on this season, he isn't likely to regularly factor into the saves picture for Tampa Bay.
APRIL 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Shane McClanahan - Punches out seven McClanahan (1-1) allowed two earned runs on six hits and no walks while striking out seven across seven innings to earn the win Sunday against Boston.
Impact McClanahan was touched up early in the game, as he allowed three singles and both of his earned runs in the first inning. However, he went on to retire eight consecutive hitters -- four of which came via strikeout. Perhaps most notably, McClanahan needed only 86 pitches to work seven innings to record his longest outing of the season. Through four starts this season, he's now maintained a 2.45 ERA with a 31:5 K:BB across 22 frames.
APRIL 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
McClanahan 1st Rays starter to get win, 5-2 over Red Sox
Shane McClanahan became Tampa Bay’s first starting pitcher to get a win this season as the Rays overcame a two-run, first-inning deficit and beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2APRIL 24, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Even the cameraman was surprised by Randy Arozarena It's been a long time since Randy Arozarena did something crazy on the basepaths -- about a week \-\- so it was high time for the mercurial...
APRIL 24, 2022 • MLB.COM
