SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2018 at BOSTON RED SOX RH Austin Pruitt (1-2, 3.18) Vs
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SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2018 at BOSTON RED SOX RH Austin Pruitt (1-2, 3.18) vs. RH Justin Haley (1-0, 1.80) First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. | Location: JetBlue Park, Fort Myers, Fla. | TV: None | Radio: WDAE 620 AM Game No: 22 (9-11-1) | vs. AL: 6-9-1 | vs. NL: 3-2-0 | Home: 2-8-0 | Road: 7-3-1 Day 32 of Spring Training | 12 Days Until Opening Day—Thursday, March 29 vs. Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field (4:00 p.m.) FOR STARTERS—The Rays will wear green caps and socks today for St. 20TH ANNIVERSARY CAM- LINEUP at BOSTON Patrick’s Day…in yesterday’s game at MIN, the Rays scored a spring-high PAIGN—The Rays have cre- No. Player Pos. 11 runs, their most in a spring game since March 29, 2017 vs. BAL (15) and ated a 20th Anniversary logo 11 Adeiny Hechavarria SS most on the road since April 3, 2015 at DET (11)…the Rays are 7-3 (.700) on that will appear as a patch on 73 Kean Wong (L) 3B the road, tied for 2nd in the Grapefruit League behind Houston (9-2, .818), all Rays jerseys and caps…the 27 Carlos Gómez DH plus a tie on March 8 at BOS…the Rays have outscored opponents 66-37 home plate-shaped patch fea- 13 Brad Miller (L) 1B on the road, and been outscored 57-30 at Charlotte Sports Park (2-8-0)… tures the number 20, a sunburst 45 Jesús Sucre C their .200 winning pct. at home is worst in the Grapefruit League. and a variation of the original 7 Micah Johnson (L) 2B fish—all in the Rays modern 17 Jason Coats LF ON THE BACKFIELDS—RH Alex Colomé threw 9 pitches in a perfect colors…on March 31 vs. BOS, 29 Brandon Snyder RF inning yesterday against a Red Sox Class-A affiliate…INF Brad Miller June 9 vs. SEA, June 23 vs. NYY 74 Johnny Field CF appeared in a minor league game on Thurs. and returns to the starting and Sep 8 vs. BAL, the Rays will 50 Austin Pruitt RHP lineup today for the first time since the spring opener on Feb 23 vs. PIT wear a white alternate throw- (1-for-2, 2-run double)…he has been out with a broken right pinky toe. back Devil Rays jersey…the Rays will pay tribute to the first game in ON THE AIRWAVES—Both games this weekend will be broadcast on franchise history on Opening Weekend and the 2008 AL Championship WDAE 620 AM and the Rays Radio Network, with Dave Wills and Andy club on Aug 4 vs. CWS. Freed on the call…Dave and Andy are entering their 14th season togeth- ROSTER MAKEOVER—Of the 32 players on last season’s Opening Day er, the 3rd-longest tenured full-season radio broadcast duo in the majors roster or disabled list, only 14 still remain in the organization: pitchers behind Detroit and San Francisco…hitting coach Chad Mottola and OF Matt Andriese, Chris Archer, Alex Colomé, Nathan Eovaldi, Kevin Ga- Denard Span are guests on this weekend’s Countdown to Opening Day dea (outrighted), Austin Pruitt and Blake Snell, catchers Wilson Ramos radio show, airing on WDAE 620 AM at 12:30 p.m. today and tomorrow. and Jesús Sucre, infielders Matt Duffy, Brad Miller and Daniel Robert- FOUR FOR ARCHER—Manager Kevin Cash announced this week that son, and outfielders Kevin Kiermaier and Mallex Smith. RH Chris Archer will start on Opening Day (Thurs., March 29 vs. BOS)… Ê Only four players remain from the 2015 Opening Day roster or dis- this will be his fourth consecutive Opening Day start, becoming the first abled list, which was Kevin Cash’s first game as Rays manager: An- pitcher in franchise history to do so…he is 1-2 with a 3.57 ERA (17.2-IP, driese, Archer, Colomé and Kiermaier…Archer and Kiermaier are 7-ER) in his previous 3 starts on Opening Day, a 2017 win vs. NYY and the only players remaining from the 2013 postseason roster (last losses in 2016 vs. TOR and 2015 vs. BAL…his fourth Opening Day start playoff appearance)…Kiermaier was on the roster for that season’s will tie James Shields (2008-10, 2012) for most in club history. AL Wild Card Game, but not the ALDS. Ê Since 2008, the Rays have used only three different starters on Opening Day: Archer (4), Shields (4) and David Price (3)…in 10 sea- STAFF SHUFFLING—The coaching staff under Manager Kevin Cash sons as the Devil Rays, eight pitchers made Opening Day starts for features only two coaches returning to the same position as last season: the club…from 2008-17, only three other teams used 3 starters or hitting coach Chad Mottola and bullpen coach Stan Boroski…new to the fewer on Opening Day: Seattle, Félix Hernández (9) and Erik Be- staff are third base coach Matt Quatraro, pitching coach Kyle Snyder and dard (1); Detroit, Justin Verlander (9) and Price (1); and the Yankees, first base coach Ozzie Timmons…in addition, Charlie Montoyo moves CC Sabathia (6), Masahiro Tanaka (1) and Chien-Ming Wang (1). from third base coach to bench coach and Rocco Baldelli moves from first Ê Following Archer in the rotation is LH Blake Snell, bullpen day, base coach to the newly created role of major league field coordinator. RH Nathan Eovaldi and RH Jake Faria…Cash said the bullpen day Ê Including Cash, five former Rays have gone on to manage in the could move around based on workloads and scheduled off days. majors…Mickey Callaway (Mets), Gabe Kapler (Phillies) and Dave Ê With his Opening Day start last season, Archer joined SF Madison Martinez (Nationals) are current skippers…previously, Ozzie Guil- Bumgarner, SEA Félix Hernández, LAD Clayton Kershaw, HOU lén managed the White Sox from 2004-11 and Marlins in 2012. Dallas Keuchel, CLE Corey Kluber, NYY Masahiro Tanaka and Ê Five members of this reconfigured coaching staff once played in ATL Julio Teheran as pitchers to start on Opening Day from at the Rays organization: Cash, Baldelli, Mottola (minors), Quatraro least 2015-17…King Félix has made 9 straight Opening Day starts, (minors) and Timmons. the longest active streak in the majors. MINOR LEAGUE REPORT—In January, Baseball America listed the Rays 560 AND COUNTING—The Rays will enter the 2018 season with a streak at No. 5 in its annual Organizational Talent rankings of minor league pros- of 560 games started by a pitcher under the age of 30, the longest current pects, their highest position since 2013 (No. 4)…this rating came before the streak in the majors…35-year-old LH Erik Bedard on July 3, 2014 at DET February acquisitions of SS Jermaine Palacios, LH Anthony Banda and was the last 30-plus pitcher to start a game for the Rays…entering the 2B Nick Solak…the publication’s Top 100 Prospects included six Rays, a season, since June 26, 2006, the Rays have started a pitcher under the age figure topped only by the Braves (8)…in addition toBaseball America’s rat- of 30 in 96 pct. (1,795 of 1,869) of their games…the Rays have used only 30 ing, the Rays are ranked by MLB.com as the No. 4 farm system in baseball different starting pitchers over the last 10 seasons, fewest in the majors. (No. 1 based just on position players), and by ESPN.com at No. 7. TODAY’S STARTER at BOS—RH Austin Pruitt (1-2, 3.18 ERA) TOMORROW’S STARTER vs. DET—RH Chris Archer (0-0, 5.06 ERA) Ê 2017 Majors: 7-5, 5.31 ERA (83-IP, 49-ER) in 30 apps (8 starts) Ê 2017 Majors: 10-12, 4.07 ERA (201-IP, 91-ER) in 34 starts Ê Spent three stints in the majors last season, his first career action… Ê Tied for the major league lead in starts last season…is the sec- went 2-3 with a 4.19 ERA (43-IP, 20-ER) in his 8 starts, compared to ond Ray to make at least 30 starts in four straight seasons (James 5-2 with a 6.53 ERA (40-IP, 29-ER) in 22 relief apps Shields, 6, 2007-12)…ranked 4th in the majors in strikeouts (249) Ê Threw first-pitch strikes to 66.0 pct. of batters faced, which would Ê Made the AL All-Star Team, his second career selection have ranked 5th in the majors if he qualified Ê Has made three consecutive Opening Day starts for the Rays Day-by-Day W-L IP H R ER BB SO HR HB WP Result Day-by-Day W-L IP H R ER BB SO HR HB WP Result 2/23 vs. PIT W-1 1.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 W, 6-3 2/26 vs. TOR -- 2.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 W, 7-4 2/27 vs. BAL L-1 1.2 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 L, 1-2 3/3 at DET -- 1.1 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 W, 7-4 3/4 at NYY -- 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W, 9-1 3/8 at BOS -- 3.0 5 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 T, 6-6 3/8 vs. TB * -- 2.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 -- 3/13 at PHI -- 4.1 1 2 2 3 5 1 0 0 L, 3-6 3/13 at PHI L-2 1.2 2 3 0 0 2 1 0 0 L, 3-6 * indicates simulated game UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHERS Date & Opp.