HEADLINE

Hot-hitting Rays look to take series in Baltimore

Field Level Media

July 14, 2019 at 6:35 am.

Tampa Bay has scored 29 runs in the first three games of this weekend series with the Baltimore Orioles, yet the visiting Rays still need one more win to take this series, a victory they’ll try to get when the two teams meet again on Sunday afternoon.

The Rays scored 16 on Friday and 12 in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader, which Tampa Bay split with Baltimore — the Orioles won the opener 2-1. But the Rays showed some power in the second game of the twin bill, crushing six homers en route to a 12-4 victory.

Nate Lowe and Michael Brosseau each hit two home runs in that win — their second blasts each coming in the ninth inning — and together they drove in seven runs.

The Rays now have some extra offensive help as Ji-Man Choi was activated from the injured list before Saturday’s doubleheader. That gives manager Kevin Cash more flexibility in using some of his players at a time in the season where he knows his players will need some rest.

“We’ve run these guys hard,” Cash told MLB.com Saturday. “I know they just had the break, but it is July and August in the dead heat of the summer. It’s not the worst thing to give guys a day off here and there.”

To make room for Choi, MLB.com reported that Tampa Bay sent relief pitcher Ian Gibaut back to Triple-A Durham. He threw two innings in Friday’s win, his major league debut.

MLB.com also reported that the Rays obtained right-handed relief pitcher Peter Fairbanks from the Texas Rangers for minor league infielder/outfielder Nick Solak.

Fairbanks is going to be assigned to Triple-A Durham with infielder Christian Arroyo (right forearm tendinitis) being shifted to the 60-day injury list to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

After the doubleheader, according to the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays sent pitchers Jake Faria and Brendan McKay (the 26th man for Saturday and the Game 1 starter) back to Durham. They called up pitcher Ryan Yarbrough.

The Orioles also made a move Saturday, trading away starter Andrew Cashner and cash considerations to Boston for outfielder Elio Prado and infielder Noelberth Romero between the two games of the doubleheader.

Both players headed to the Orioles are 17 and will be assigned to the Dominican Summer League, and Baltimore general manager Mike Elias admitted it will take a few years before the club sees how good both can become.

Cashner is 9-3 with a 3.83 ERA this season and had been one of the top pitchers in baseball over the last month (3-1, 1.41 ERA in 32 innings across five starts). Losing Cashner is exacerbated by right-hander Dylan Bundy going on the injured list Saturday with knee tendinitis.

“We had talks with several teams, and Boston was the most serious and most aggressive,” Elias told the media Saturday. “We ended up getting two very young players that we like.”

Elias said also that he didn’t know if the Orioles would be making any more moves before the deadline. The Cashner deal was not a surprise, though, as the veteran’s contract runs out after this season.

With Cashner originally scheduled to start Sunday, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said after the doubleheader that he had yet to pick a Sunday starter.

Tampa Bay is going to go with Ryne Stanek (0-2, 3.26 ERA) as its opener, though the Tampa Bay Times reported Yarbrough (7-3, 4.55) is “likely to work bulk innings.” Yarbrough is 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA in four career relief appearances against Baltimore.