The Tampa Bay Rays are about to open a nine-game homestand that figures to play a key function of their quest for an American League wild-card spot.
It begins Friday as they open a three-game collection in St. Petersburg, Fla., in opposition to the Baltimore Orioles, who proportion the AL East lead with the New York Yankees.
The Rays are 5 video games out of the general wild-card spot following a 3-3 highway travel to Houston and St. Louis that was once capped with a 6-4 victory over the Cardinals on Thursday evening. Tampa Bay additionally will host the AL West-co-leading Houston Astros and the protecting Nationwide League champion Arizona Diamondbacks for 3 video games every throughout what might be seen as a make-or-break homestand for the Rays.
Proper-hander Zack Littell (5-7, 4.06 ERA), who has allowed simply seven hits and one run over 12 2/3 innings whilst successful his previous two outings, will get started the collection opener for Tampa Bay.
Littell is 0-1 with a three.66 ERA in 5 profession appearances (3 begins) in opposition to Baltimore, together with 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two begins this season.
Littell will likely be adverse via ex-Ray Zach Eflin (7-7, 4.05 ERA).
Eflin has received either one of his begins for the Orioles and could be very conversant in the mound at Tropicana Box. He signed a three-year, $40 million contract with the Rays on Dec. 13, 2022, the most important loose agent contract in Rays historical past, after which went 16-8 with a three.50 ERA in 31 begins for Tampa Bay in 2023.
Eflin was once 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 19 begins the Rays this 12 months earlier than he was once traded to the Orioles for minor-leaguers Matthew Etzel, Jackson Baumeister and Mac Horvath on July 26.
Rays 2nd baseman Brandon Lowe advised the Tampa Bay Occasions about dealing with his former teammate simply two weeks the business, “It is going to be bizarre.”
St. Petersburg is the general forestall of a season-high, 10-game highway travel for Baltimore, which has dropped 4 of the primary seven video games, together with a 7-6 loss at Toronto on Thursday evening.
Trailing 7-2 going into the highest of the 9th, the Orioles scored 4 occasions and had the tying run on first base when Anthony Santander, who’s 2nd within the American League with 34 house runs, flied out to heart to finish the comeback bid.
“We had the tying run on base there within the 9th inning after now not doing a lot offensively for some time, so give our guys credit score for that. However a disappointing loss,” Baltimore supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned.
The Orioles, who’ve received six of 7 conferences in opposition to Tampa Bay in 2024, are simply 11-15 since July 9.
“I feel general we have not been taking part in our perfect baseball, however we are nonetheless within the combat for the department,” mentioned Colton Cowser, who hit a two-run homer on Thursday. “I feel that is in point of fact all you’ll be able to ask for.”
Lowe persevered his sizzling hitting with a two-run, go-ahead homer throughout a three-run 7th inning to lend a hand propel the Rays to their 6-4 win at St. Louis. Lowe is batting .383 (18-for-47) with seven doubles, 3 house runs and 13 RBIs in his previous 12 video games.
“We are going in opposition to an ideal opponent within the Orioles,” Lowe mentioned. “It is going to be a difficult collection. It is going to be a grind.”
–Box Stage Media
