The Tampa Bay Rays can finish off the first half of the regular season schedule with their seventh consecutive win with a victory in the finale of a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Rich Hill (6-3, 3.65 ERA) will get the start, taking on Robbie Ray (6-4, 3.36 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10.
Rays Starting Lineup
Lowe 2B
Franco SS
Diaz 3B
Meadows DH
Arozarena LF
Brujan RF
Choi 1B
Mejia C
Phillips CF
Blue Jays Starting Lineup
Semien 2B
Bichette SS
Guerrero DH
Springer CF
Hernandez RF
Gurriel LF
Espinal 3B
Gurriel 1B
Jansen C
Archer, Drake To Start Rehab Assignments
Rays manager Kevin Cash said that pitchers Chris Archer and Oliver Drake will begin rehab assignments this week as they look to get ready to pitch in the big leagues by the middle of August.
Cash said Archer will start in a Florida Complex League game Monday at the Rays spring training complex in Port Charlotte, while Drake will follow suit on Tuesday. If all goes well with those appearances, both could then be transferred to Triple-A Durham in order to continue their rehab.
The plan for Archer, who has been out since April 10 with lateral forearm tightness, is to get him stretched back out to starter’s length, while Drake, who is returning from elbow surgery to repair a flexor tendon injury in his elbow, will work one inning stints.
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.