Welcome Rays fans! Today is game 2 of a 3 game series against the Rangers. Yesterday Matt Andriese struggled against a red hot Rangers lineup and the Rays took a hard 6-2 loss where they were no hit into the 6th. Today Jake Odorizzi is taking the mound and will do his best to contain the Rangers offense. In his last 7 games he has had a 2.30 ERA and has been showing greater overall control of the ball. Odorizzi may be able to extinguish the Rangers fire.
Rays Lineup:
- Mahtook CF
- Dickerson LF
- Longoria 3B
- Miller 1B
- Duffy SS
- Morrison DH
- Beckham 2B
- Souza Jr. RF
- Malie C
Rangers Lineup:
- Profar LF
- Desmond CF
- Beltran DH
- Beltre 3B
- Odor 2B
- Lucroy C
- Moreland 1B
- Mazara RF
- Andrus SS
Tonight’s lineup is missing many key players due to injury. Most notably absent is Rays Platinum Glove winning centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier. In the clubhouse he told the media that his “hip is still tight” and that he’s “just not feeling right”. Kiermaier said he started feeling discomfort when he began warming up and thought it would get worked out, but by the by the 3rd inning he knew he needed to come off the field. He said he felt “annoyed” about leaving yesterday’s game; that he “let the team down” but he also knows he needs to “listen to his body”. Additionally Kiermaier said there’s no time line and when he will be back since it is still unclear on what is causing the tightness.
Another big player missing from the lineup is 2nd baseman Logan Forsythe. He was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday due to back spasms and has been DTD. Cash said that if needed he could play today, but he feels that Forsythe is better off taking one more day.
Cash said lineup decisions had to be made because of the injury of Kiermaier, Forsythe, and Nick Franklin. He said this situation will really test the depth of the team.
