TAMPA BAY RAYS (4-9-0) Vs. BOSTON RED SOX (7-5-1) RH Joe Ryan (0-0, 0.00) Vs
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Press Box Documents › bit.ly/3f0l9jz TAMPA BAY RAYS (4-9-0) vs. BOSTON RED SOX (7-5-1) RH Joe Ryan (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Nick Pivetta (1-1, 3.60) Monday, March 15, 2021 First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. Location: Charlotte Sports Park TV: FOX Sports Sun Radio: MLB.com Spring Game No.: 14 vs. AL Opponents: 2-7-0 vs. NL Opponents: 2-2-0 Home Games: 3-3-0 Road Games: 1-6-0 Day 26 of Spring Training 17 Days Until Opening Day—Thursday, April 1 at Miami Marlins (4:10 p.m.) PRONUNCIATION GUIDE To hear Rays coaches and players pronouncing their names in their own voices, visit raysbaseball.com/pronunciation. UPCOMING PROBABLE PITCHERS & BROADCAST SCHEDULE Upcoming Games Time (ET) Probable Pitchers (Rays vs. Opp.) TV & Radio Mon., 3/15 vs. BOS 1:05 p.m. TB—RH Joe Ryan, LH Shane McClanahan, LH Josh Fleming, RH Ryan Thompson, RH Pete Fairbanks, FOX Sports Sun, MLB.com RH Andrew Kittredge, RH Hunter Strickland; BOS—RH Nick Pivetta, RH Matt Barnes, LH Josh Taylor, RH Colten Brewer Tues., 3/16 vs. BAL 1:05 p.m. TB—LH Ryan Yarbrough, RH Collin McHugh; BAL—RH Félix Hernández, Relievers TBD FOX Sports Sun, MLB.com Wed., 3/17 at PIT 1:05 p.m. TB—RH Tyler Glasnow, RH Chris Ellis, RH Nick Anderson, RH Chris Mazza; PIT—RH Mitch Keller MLB Network ROSTER MOVES—This morning the Rays made their first round of cuts (2011-12), C Joe Mauer (2004-05) and OF Andruw Jones (1996-97). this spring, reassigning nine players to minor league camp: RH Shane Baz, Ê Last month, MLB announced a modernized minor league sys- INF Xavier Edwards, INF Wander Franco, OF Moisés Gómez, C Blake tem, with each major league club providing players and staffs to Hunt, INF Greg Jones, RH Phoenix Sanders, OF Garrett Whitley and RH their four affiliates—one at each of the Triple-A, Double-A, High- Tyler Zombro…these moves reduce the spring roster to 64 active players. A and Low-A levels…the Rays continued affiliation with Durham, Montgomery and Bowling Green…the Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs ON THE WEB—The 2021 Rays Media Guide is now available at mlbpress- served as Tampa Bay's original Low-A affiliate from 1997–2004. box.com (login required), rayspressbox.com (using username rays\media and password R@ys1998#) and bit.ly/3t73SkH (no login necessary). MINOR STUDIES—MLB has announced experimental rules to be tested during the 2021 minor league season, varying by level of play: TWO DISTINCT ERAS—Since becoming the Rays in 2008, the Rays own Ê Triple-A will use larger bases in an attempt to reduce injuries; the 5th-best record in baseball at 1,081-924 (.539) and have made six trips Ê Double-A teams must have their four infielders remain on the dirt, to the postseason, incl. three AL East division titles (2020, 2010, 2008) and and the 2nd Half may include two on each side of second base; two World Series appearances (2020, 2008)…during this span, only three Ê High-A pitchers must step off the rubber before throwing to a base; clubs (Dodgers, Yankees, Cardinals) have reached the postseason more Ê Low-A pitchers can attempt two pickoffs per plate appearance, and often, and only two (Dodgers, Giants) have competed in more World Se- will be charged a balk if a third is attempted and unsuccessful ries…the Rays have seven 90-win seasons since 2008, a number matched by only three other teams in baseball: Dodgers (8), Red Sox (7) and Yan- SPRING THINGS—The Rays have lost five consecutive games and have kees (7)…this success comes after the Devil Rays amassed the majors’ been outscored, 25-11, over that stretch…they are 1-7 in their last 8 games worst record at 645-972 (.399) over the club’s first decade of existence. following a 3-2 start…the Rays are one of two Grapefruit League teams Ê The Rays enter the 2021 season on the heels of the second AL pen- without a tie game (Braves)…yesterday the Rays lost, 8-7, to the Braves in nant in team history…in 2020, the Rays went 40-20 (.667), the best North Port, blowing a 7-3 lead through 7½ innings…they allowed a 3-run, winning pct. in club history…it was the fourth straight season they walk-off homer, the second time this spring they lost on a walk-off homer. improved their winning pct., all under Manager Kevin Cash. Ê Yesterday the Rays and Braves combined for 7 HR, and 14 of the game's 15 runs scored via homer…PH Miles Mastrobuoni and 1B SLICE OF GRAPEFRUIT—Last month, MLB released a revised, region- Dalton Kelly both homered for the Rays…RH Drew Strotman, RH alized Grapefruit League schedule to mitigate travel…27 of the Rays 28 Diego Castillo and RH Nick Anderson all pitched scoreless frames. games are against the Braves (6), Orioles (3), Pirates (2), Red Sox (8) and Twins (8)…the only exception is the final game—March 30 in Lakeland— RAYS vs. RED SOX—This is the fifth of eight meetings between the two after the Rays move their major league operations to Tropicana Field. clubs this spring…the Rays are 1-3 so far, most recently an 8-2 loss on Ê The Rays entered camp with a club-record 77 players on their March 12 in Fort Myers…the Rays went 7-3 against the Red Sox in the spring roster: 42 pitchers, 8 catchers, 15 infielders and 12 outfield- 2020 regular season, including 4-0 at Fenway Park…since July 24, 2019, ers…prior to 2021, their largest camp roster was 76 players (1999)… the Rays are 14-4 against them with a +38 run differential…the Rays the 77 players included four rehabbing pitchers on the 60-day IL. scored 69 runs in 10 games against them last season, incl. 8 runs (or more) Ê There are 11 new faces on the 40-man roster—four free agents, four five times…the Rays totaled 103 hits, 25 2B and 17 HR in the season series. acquired via trade and three from the minor league system. Ê Today's game against Boston is expected to be 9 innings in length. Ê In 2020, three players who entered spring training as non-roster Ê The Rays have won a club-record eight consecutive games at Fen- invites made the Opening Day roster…incl. postseason, nine non- way Park, the longest winning streak at an opponent's park in roster invites spent time on the Rays active roster last season. franchise history…the Rays will enter their game on April 5, 2021 at Fenway Park having gone 667 days since their last loss there. PROMO SCHEDULE—The Rays have announced the promotional sched- Ê Last offseason the Red Sox hired Chaim Bloom, who spent 15 years ule for the 2021 season, including an AL Championship Replica Trophy in the Rays Baseball Operations dept., as Chief Baseball Officer. (April 13 vs. TEX) and five player bobbleheads: Willy Adames Audio Bob- blehead (June 9 vs. WAS), Brandon Lowe Bobblehead (June 26 vs. LAA), TODAY’S STARTER vs. BOS—RH Joe Ryan (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Austin Meadows Bobblehead (July 6 vs. CLE), Randy Arozarena Bobble- Ê 2020 Regular Season: Did Not Pitch head (July 31 vs. BOS) and Tyler Glasnow Bobblehead (Aug 21 vs. CWS). Ê In 2020, was part of the Rays 60-man player pool and spent the summer at the alternate training site…ranked by Baseball America THE SKIPPER—Kevin Cash enters his seventh season as Rays manager… as the No. 12 prospect in the Rays system following the season. he is baseball’s 3rd-longest-tenured manager with his current team be- Ê In 2019, named Minor League Pitcher of the Year by the Rays Base- hind OAK Bob Melvin (10th full season) and CLE Terry Francona (9th ball Operations department…advanced to Double-A Montgomery season)…Cash's career 454-416 (.522) record is the best winning pct. of any in his first full professional season…began the season with Class-A manager in club history…last season he was named AL Manager of the Bowling Green, promoted to Class-A Charlotte on May 13 and to Year by the BBWAA, receiving 22 of 30 first-place votes…was the second Montgomery on Aug 12…went 9-4 with a 1.96 ERA (123.2-IP, 27-ER) manager in Rays history to win it, joining Joe Maddon (2008 and 2011). and 183 SO in 24 apps (22 starts) between the three levels…his 183 Ê At 42 years old in 2020, Cash was the youngest manager to reach SO ranked 2nd in the minors and ranked 3rd all-time for a Rays the World Series since Ozzie Guillén (41) in 2005 (White Sox). minor leaguer behind Matt Moore in 2011 (210) and 2010 (208). Ê Three other current managers are former members of his coaching Ê Selected in the seventh round in 2018 out of Cal State University staff: Rocco Baldelli (Twins), Charlie Montoyo (Blue Jays) and Der- Stanislaus…went 8-1 with a 1.65 ERA (98.1-IP, 18-ER) in 14 starts as a ek Shelton (Pirates)…Cash is one of six former Rays players who senior and led all divisions of collegiate baseball with 127 SO. have gone on to manage major league teams…the others: Guillén Ê His full bio is on Page 242 of the Rays 2021 Media Guide.