The Tampa Bay Rays have the opportunity to make history tonight in Kansas City, as they can finish a multi-city road trip 6-0 for the first time with a win over the Royals. Michael Wacha (1-1, 4.20 ERA) will get the start, taking on Jakob Junis (1-0, 1.50 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 8:10.
Rays Starting Lineup
Meadows LF
Tsutsugo DH
Wendle 3B
Lowe 2B
Diaz 1B
Kiermaier CF
Mejia C
Adames SS
Phillips RF
Royals Starting Lineup
Merrifield 2B
Santana 1B
Perez C
Soler DH
Dozier 3B
Benintendi LF
Taylor CF
Isbel RF
Lopez SS
Can Rays Finish Trip Unbeaten?
Tampa Bay has only finished a multi-city road trip unbeaten once in franchise history: in 2014, when they swept a three-game series in Minnesota, followed by a two-game set in St. Louis from July 18-23. The Rays can become the first team to sweep a multi-city road trip this year and the first since Cleveland went 6-0 in Pittsburgh and Detroit from August 14-19, 2020.
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.
