Jacob Faria (No 9 prospect) makes MLB debut.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – The Rays (29-31) have played a lot of baseball in the first two months of the season. Through April and May, they have had just four days rest including a stretch of 13-straight before their day off June 1st. During their 4-5 road trip, the Rays pitching staff gave up five or more runs in the last eight games after their 5-2 win in Minnesota to kick it off. Is the staff gassed?
“We haven’t pitched very good,” Jake Odorizzi said Wednesday. “I think anything is needed the way we ended the road trip. Arch got us right back on track yesterday.”
Odorizzi was referring to the Ray’s 4-2 loss to open the three-game series against White Sox. A loss in which pitching wasn’t the issue. In which a first inning home run seemingly deflected off thin air to be called a home run.
But that was Tuesday night.
The No. 9 prospect in the Rays minor league system, RHP Jacob Faria, gets the call on Wednesday night. He becomes the seventh prospect to make their MLB debut in 2017.
The 23-year old righty will face the following lineup for Chicago:
Tonight’s #SoxGameDay starters: pic.twitter.com/KXOvqKiFK6
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) June 7, 2017
Faria was 6-1 with a 3.07 ERA in 2017 for the Durham Bulls (AAA) in 11 starts. Rays general manager, Erik Neander, has high praise for the former 10th-round pick.
“Quite a success story with respect to where he was selected in the draft,” Neander said. “This is one that a lot of people in our organization have been a part in getting to this point. We’re excited to see him out there.”
Norris starts despite investigation.
The White Sox (25-31) will send RHP Mike Pelfry (2-4, 3.86) to the hill against a Rays lineup with Derek Norris getting the start behind the plate. Norris, who is currently under investigation by MLB regarding a domestic violence accusation by his ex-fiance, was not available for comment before Wednesday’s game.
The day @JDFaria36 has always dreamed of.#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/mXsNNYTm77
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 7, 2017
NOTABLES:
- Rays DH/LF Corey Dickerson is still making an All-Star push. As of Tuesday, Dickerson ranks fourth among DH in voting. He’s the only Rays player among leading vote-getters in the AL.
- CF Kevin Kiermaier has multiple hits in six of his last 11 games. He’s hitting .341 in his last 23 games, raising his avg from .207 to .261.
QUOTABLES:
- RHP Chris Archer on the “issues” with Tropicana Field, “I feel like every game is affected by the roof, to some capacity, whether it’s something getting hit off it or somebody’s losing it, misplay or whatever the case may be.”
- Dickerson on his ASG chances, “Play the game the right way, get the players’ attention, the other managers’ attention and good things will happen.”
