After a day off following a 5-1 road trip, the Tampa Bay Rays will open a ten-game homestand tonight, welcoming the Toronto Blue Jays in for three games over the weekend. Tyler Glasnow (2-0, 0.73 ERA) will get the start, taking on Steven Matz (3-0, 1.47 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10.
Rays Starting Lineup
Diaz 1B
Arozarena LF
Meadows DH
Brosseau 2B
Margot RF
Wendle 3B
Mejia C
Adames SS
Kiermaier CF
Blue Jays Starting Lineup
Biggio RF
Bichette SS
Guerrero 1B
Tellez DH
Grichuk CF
Semien 2B
Panik 3B
Gurriel LF
Jansen C
Head Gets Call Up For Birthday Present
The Rays made RHP Louis Head‘s 31st birthday a memorable one, as he was informed late Thursday that he would be called up from the alternate training site.
“I don’t know if I’ve gotten a better one to be honest,” said Head, who celebrates his birthday today.
It’s been a long road for the reliever, who was an 18th round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians out of Texas State in 2012, to make it to the major leagues. He got all the way to Triple A with the Indians, but spent 2014-2016 at Double-A Akron before returning to Columbus for 2017 and 2018. He signed with the Dodgers in 2019, splitting time between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, but was released before the start of 2020.
After missing all of last year, Head didn’t think he’d get another shot to play, so he took a job selling solar panels door-to-door in Arizona, but then the Rays came calling with an opportunity to come to Spring Training, and after putting up a 1.50 ERA in seven Grapefruit League appearances, now finds himself putting on a big league uniform for the first time.
If Head makes his debut today, he would become the oldest player to ever make his major league debut on his birthday, eclipsing Keith Johnson of the Angels, who made his debut on his 29th birthday in 2000.
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.
