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Rays Get McClanahan, Cruz Back For Finale With Tigers

photo: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays will look to finish off a series win in this weekend series against the Detroit Tigers with a victory in this afternoon’s finale.  Left-hander Shane McClanahan (9-5, 3.59 ERA) will come off the injured list and make the start, taking on Wily Peralta (3-3, 3.32 ERA).  First pitch is scheduled for 1:10.

Rays Starting Lineup

Lowe 2B

Meadows LF

Cruz DH

Choi 1B

Arozarena RF

Wendle SS

Diaz 3B

Phillips CF

Zunino C

 

Tigers Starting Lineup

Reyes CF

Schoop 1B

Grossman RF

Cabrera DH

Canderlario 3B

Haase LF

Goodrum SS

Garneau C

H. Castro 2B

Nelson Cruz

photo: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Rays

Medical Matters: Cruz OK After HBP, Kiermaier Activated From COVID List

After getting hit on the forearm by a pitch in Thursday’s series opener and missing the last two games,designated hitter Nelson Cruz is back in the starting lineup for Tampa Bay Sunday.  Rays manager Kevin Cash said there was a scenario in Saturday’s game where he may have seen an at-bat, but it never happened and he was able to get another day off.  Cruz has a slash line of .237/.295/.486 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI since being acquired from the Minnesota Twins on July 22.

Tampa Bay also activated outfielder Kevin Kiermaier from the COVID-related injured list Sunday after he was pulled from Friday’s game with a general illness and was kept away from the team Saturday.  Both Kiermaier and shortstop Taylor Walls, who was scratched from Saturday’s game, tested negative for COVID, and are available to play today though they are not in the starting lineup.

To make room for Kiermaier to return to the active and 40-man rosters, reliever Louis Head was optioned to Triple-A Durham, and pitcher Joey Krehbiel, who was optioned after Saturday’s loss, was designated for assignment.

Rays Magic Number Adjusted Down

Major League Baseball has adjusted the Rays magic number to clinch a postseason berth from 5 to 4 due to head-to-head matchups, namely because the New York Yankees, who are one half-game out of the Wild Card, still have series to play with both the Blue Jays and Red Sox.

The magic number to clinch the American League East title for a second consecutive year remains six.

Written By

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.

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