The Tampa Bay Rays can clinch home field advantage throughout the entire American League playoffs and set a new franchise record for wins in a season with a victory Wednesday evening in Houston. Drew Rasmussen (3-1, 3.04 ERA) will get the start, taking on Luis Garcia (11-7, 3.23 ERA). First pitch from Minute Maid Park is set for 8:10.
Rays Starting Lineup
Lowe 2B
Franco SS
Cruz DH
Choi 1B
Wendle 3B
Margot LF
Kiermaier CF
Phillips RF
Mejia C
Astros Starting Lineup
Altuve 2B
Brantley DH
Bregman 3B
Alvarez LF
Gurriel 1B
Correa SS
Tucker RF
Siri CF
Maldonado C
Diaz Hopes To Miss Just Couple Of Days
After leaving Tuesday’s opening loss to the Astros with lat discomfort, third baseman Yandy Diaz said Wednesday that he woke up feeling better.
Diaz said he told the training staff he did not need a MRI, and that he hoped to be ready to be back in the starting lineup by Friday, when Tampa Bay will begin its final series of the regular season in New York against the Yankees.
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.
