The Tampa Bay Rays will look for a series win Sunday over the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field, with Ryan Yarbrough (0-2, 4.00 ERA) getting the start against Lucas Giolito (3-2, 3.61 ERA), and a big piece of the bullpen returning from injury.
Reliever Andrew Kittredge, who has missed more than two weeks with tightness in his lower back, was activated from the 15-day injured list prior to the game.
Kittredge, who Tampa Bay has used in the ninth inning regularly the last two seasons, is 3-1 with a 3.00 earned run avergage in 15 appearances, with five saves in seven appearances.
To make room on the active roster for Kittredge, right-hander Calvin Faucher, who was called up when J.P. Feyereisen was injured, was optioned to Triple-A Durham.
Rays Starting Lineup
Kiermaier CF
Margot RF
Diaz 3B
Choi 1B
Ramirez DH
Arozarena RF
Paredes 2B
Zunino C
Walls SS
White Sox Starting Lineup
Mendick SS
Vaughn RF
Robert CF
Abreu DH
Burger 3B
Grandal 1B
Pollock LF
McGuire C
Harrison 2B
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.