The Tampa Bay Rays will look for their third straight win on this seven-game homestand and 14th win in 15 games in the season series against the Baltimore Orioles. Louis Head (1-0, 1.85 ERA) will open the contest, taking on Spenser Watkins (2-4, 5.25 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10.
Rays Starting Lineup
Lowe 2B
Franco SS
Cruz DH
Meadows LF
Arozarena RF
Choi 1B
Wendle 3B
Mejia C
Kiermaier CF
Orioles Starting Lineup
Mullins CF
Urias 2B
Mountcastle 1B
hays RF
Severino DH
Mateo LF
Franco 3B
Wynns C
Martin SS
Yarbrough Back From COVID List
The Rays announced Tuesday that lefty Ryan Yarbrough would be activated for tonight’s contest, and the team has activated the 29-year-old from the COVID-related injured list this afternoon.
Yarbrough was placed on the COVID IL August 10, missing one start in the process. In 22 appearances, inclusing 17 starts this season, Yarbrough is 6-4 with a 4.76 earned run average.
To make room on the roster for Yarbrough, right-hander Chris Ellis, who earned his first big-league win Tuesday pitching the final four innings against Baltimore, was designated for assignment.
Archer’s Next Appearance Likely In Bigs
Pitcher Chris Archer’s rehab assignment may be at an end after his outing Tuesday night with the Rays Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls, as the right-hander allowed just one hit in 4 2/3 innings with six strikeouts against Jacksonville.
“He was excited with the way that he felt, the way the ball was coming out of his hand, and the way his body felt,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He’ll be back here tomorrow. I don’t know if he’ll be here for the game or not, but I think then we’ll sit down and have some conversations about how to insert him into some spot. Whether it’s starting or relieving, whatever the workload is, all that has to be talked about.”
Archer, who is on the 60-day injured list, has been out since April 10 with bilateral forearm tightness.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.