The Tampa Bay Rays will look to bounce back from Saturday night’s drubbing at the hands of the Atlanta Braves and take the weekend series in the finale. Left-hander Rich Hill (6-4, 3.74 ERA) will get the start, taking on Drew Smyly (7-3, 4.48 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:20.
Rays Starting Lineup
Brujan 2B
Diaz 1B
Franco SS
Arozarena RF
Lowe LF
Zunino C
Wendle 3B
Kiermaier CF
Hill P
Braves Starting Lineup
Pederson RF
Swanson SS
Freeman 1B
Albies 2B
Riley 3B
Arcia LF
Vogt C
Heredia CF
Smyly P
Rays Pleased In Archer’s Rehab Outing
Pitcher Chris Archer made his first rehab appearance from Triple-A Durham Saturday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, facing the first eight hitters of the game and allowing a pair of first-inning runs on three hits but striking out two while nearly getting through two complete innings.
“Our reports were very excited with where his stuff landed,” manager Kevin Cash said Sunday morning. “And talking to Brady [Williams, the Bulls manager] this morning, Brady said he looked good.”
Cash said Williams told him his pitch count got extended in the first but that his fastball velocity was good and at times he showed “the Chris Archer slider.”
Archer’s next rehab start would tentatively come on Thursday.
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.
