The Tampa Bay Rays will attempt to get back to .500 tonight in the third of a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. Left-hander Josh Fleming (5-0, 2.78 ERA in 2020) will make his 2021 season debut, taking on Kohei Arihara (0-1, 5.00 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10.
Rays Starting Lineup
Meadows LF
Arozareca RF
B. Lowe 2B
Diaz 1B
Wendle 3B
Margot CF
Tsutsugo DH
Zunino C
Adames SS
Rangers Starting Lineup
Kiner-Falefa SS
Dahl DH
Gallo RF
Garcia LF
N. Lowe 1B
Solak 2B
Heim C
Culberson 3B
Taveras CF
Padlo Sent Down To make Room For Fleming
To make room on the active roster for Fleming, who was officially called up Wednesday after being placed on the taxi squad Tuesday, infielder Kevin Padlo was optioned to the alternate training site. Padlo, 24, appeared in three games with the Rays, going 0 for 6 with a pair of walks and five strikeouts.
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.
