The Tampa Bay Rays will look for a third consecutive win when they open a two-game interleague series against the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday night. Drew Rasmussen (1-1, 3.64 ERA) will get the start, taking on Ranger Suarez (5-4, 1.47 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.
Rays Starting Lineup
Arozarena RF
Cruz 1B
Franco SS
Diaz 3B
Lowe 2B
Margot CF
Meadows LF
Zunino C
Rasmussen P
Phillies Starting Lineup
TBA
Cruz To Play First Game At First
The Rays will have their longest-tenured big leaguer in a new spot Tuesday, as Nelson Cruz, playing in his 1,852nd career Major League game, will play first base for the first time in his career.
The 41-year-old, who was activated from the COVID-related injured list after missing Sunday’s game with an illness but tested negative for the virus, will be pressed into duty in the field because the team had to place first baseman Ji-Man Choi on the 10-day injured list with lingering soreness in his left hamstring.
Cruz has not played in a game in the field since September 30, 2018, when he played in right field for the Seattle Mariners against Texas.
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.
