TAMPA BAY RAYS (27-26) at OAKLAND ATHLETICS (28-27) RH Nathan Eovaldi (2018 Debut) vs. LH Sean Manaea (5-5, 3.34) Wednesday, May 30, 2018 First Pitch: 10:05 p.m. Location: Oakland Coliseum TV: FOX Sports Sun Radio: WDAE 620 AM Game No.: 54 (27-26) Away Game No.: 30 (16-13) All-Time Game No.: 3,292 (1527-1764) All-Time Away Game No.: 1,647 (694-952) UPCOMING PROBABLE PITCHERS & BROADCAST SCHEDULE Upcoming Games Time (ET) Probable Starting Pitchers (Rays vs. Opp.) TV & Radio Thurs., 5/31 at OAK 3:35 p.m. RH Ryne Stanek (1-0, 3.24) vs. RH Daniel Mengden (5-4, 2.85) FOX Sports Sun, WDAE 620 AM ROSTER MOVE—The Rays have optioned Jaime Schultz to Triple-A Dur- scoreless streak at 23 IP, and the 2 ham and reinstated Nathan Eovaldi (arthroscopic surgery, right elbow) runs allowed in the 9th snapped a AL EAST STANDINGS from the 60-day DL…to make room on the 40-man roster, Jake Faria (left club-record streak of 29 IP without Boston 38-17 (.691) -- oblique strain) was transferred from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL. an earned run…previous record was New York 34-17 (.667) 2.0 Ê Schultz made his major league debut last night and struck out all 3 27 IP from Sep 12-15, 2013…those Tampa Bay 27-26 (.509) 10.0 BF in the 7th…he was the second pitcher in Rays history to strike runs also snapped the bullpen’s Toronto 25-30 (.455) 13.0 out every single batter faced in his major league debut, following scoreless streak at 20 IP…since May Baltimore 17-38 (.309) 21.0 35-year-old rookie LH Jim Morris on Sep 18, 1999 at TEX (0.1 IP)…he 19—the date of Sergio Romo’s first AL WILD CARD STANDINGS was the first pitcher in the majors to go at least 1 IP and strike out career start —the Rays have pitched New York 34-17 (.667) +2.5 every batter in his debut since PIT John Holdzkom on Sep 2, 2014 to a 2.13 ERA (93-IP, 22-ER) in 10 Seattle 33-21 (.611) -- at STL (1 IP), and the first to do this as part of his team’s winning ef- games and the bullpen has pitched Los Angeles 30-25 (.545) 3.5 fort since NYY Edwar Ramírez on July 3, 2007 vs. MIN. to a 2.04 ERA (61.2-IP, 14-ER). Tampa Bay 27-26 (.509) 5.5 Ê Eovaldi will be making his Rays debut…it will be his first app/start Oakland 28-27 (.509) 5.5 in the majors since Aug 10, 2016 at BOS (with NYY), going 657 days ROAD RAYGE—The Rays have in between…he will become the 35th player to pitch in the majors played 29 games on the road, tied for AL STANDINGS, SINCE 4/18 after two Tommy John surgeries, and only the 12th pitcher to start 2nd-most in the AL behind the Ori- New York 26-9 (.743) -- a major league game after doing so (see next page). oles (30)…they are 16-13 on the road Tampa Bay 23-13 (.639) 3.5 but 16-8 (.667) following an 0-5 start Houston 24-14 (.632) 3.5 #VOTERAYS—MLB today announced the 2018 Camping World All-Star to the season…since April 9, the 16-8 Seattle 24-15 (.615) 4.0 Balloting Program, and voting will launch on Friday at noon ET…for the record is 3rd-best in the majors be- Boston 24-15 (.615) 4.0 fourth straight season, balloting will be conducted exclusively online and hind the Nationals (15-6) and Angels via mobile devices at mlb.com, all 30 club web sites and the MLB At Bat (15-7)…this is the last of four straight and MLB Ballpark apps…fans can cast votes for starters a total of 35 times 3-city road trips to start the season—the first time in club history the Rays including a maximum of five valid ballots cast in any 24-hour period…the have ever made four consecutive three-city trips…on this trip, the Rays Midsummer Classic will be held on July 17 at Nationals Park in Washing- visit Oakland, Seattle and Washington, D.C., the first time they visit the ton, D.C., the fifth All-Star Game to be played in the nation’s capital. West Coast on back-to-back trips since July–August 2012 (BAL-LAA- Ê Rays on this year’s ballot include C Wilson Ramos, 1B Brad Miller, OAK and MIN-SEA-LAA), and they went 9-4 in those West Coast series. 2B Joey Wendle, 3B Matt Duffy, SS Daniel Robertson, OF Mallex Ê Tonight is the ninth game of a stretch of games on 13 straight days, Smith, OF Kevin Kiermaier and OF Carlos Gómez. and continues a stretch of 40 games in 41 days (May 11–June 20). RAY MATTER—The Rays have won four consecutive games and five of RAYS vs. ATHLETICS—With a win tonight or tomorrow, the Rays would their last 6 games to improve to 27-26 on the season, the first time they’ve win a third consecutive series over the A’s for the first time since Aug been over .500 since their Opening Day win vs. BOS…they have achieved 23, 2007–Aug 14, 2008 (four straight)…the Rays are 7-2 over the last two this despite 1-8, 3-12 and 4-13 starts to the season…according to the Elias seasons against the A’s after going 2-5 in 2016…all-time, the Rays are 70- Sports Bureau, the Rays are the first team to fall at least 9 games under 103 (.405) against the A’s (41-46 at home, 29-57 on the road), tied for their .500 and get back over .500 before the end of May since the 2009 San 2nd-worst record against any AL opponent…their .337 winning pct. at Diego Padres…tonight the Rays have a chance to improve to 2 games over the Oakland Coliseum is the worst of any AL team…however, they are .500 for the first time since the end of play on Aug 10, 2017 (59-57). 4-1 over their last 5 games here, scoring 3, 4, 1 and 4 runs in those wins, Ê The Rays are 11-4 (.733) in their last 15 games, tied with the Brew- compared to 4-9 in their previous 13 games at the Oakland Coliseum. ers and Mariners for the best record in the majors since May 14… they are 23-13 (.639) in their last 36 games, 3rd-best in the majors THIS & THAT—Last night the Rays made a season-high 3 errors, their behind the Yankees (26-9) and Brewers (26-12) since April 18. most since Sep 23, 2017 at BAL (3 errors, 9-6 win)…the Rays improved to Ê The Rays hold the 7th-best record in the AL, with two teams sepa- 28-87 (.243) all-time when committing 3 errors or more. rating them from the AL’s second Wild Card position…they are 5.5 Ê Despite allowing 2 runs in the 9th, Sergio Romo recorded his first GB of the Mariners and 3.5 GB of the Angels…as recently as May 13, save since Oct 1, 2016 vs. LAD (with SF), and in doing so joined ATL there were six teams ahead of the Rays for the second Wild Card. Luiz Gohara as the only pitchers in the majors this year with at least 1 start and 1 save…the Rays had an AL-most three players do POWER BALL—Last night the Rays hit 4 HR, tying their season high (also this last year (Matt Andriese, Austin Pruitt, Erasmo Ramirez)…the April 28 at BOS)…C.J. Cron, Joey Wendle and Wilson Ramos hit back- games this series have been saved by Jonny Venters and Romo, to-back-to-back homers over a span of 10 pitches in the 3rd inning, and who went 2,470 and 604 days in between saves, respectively. Daniel Robertson homered in the 9th…it was the first time the Rays hit Ê The Rays have played consecutive 1-run games after a stretch of 11 at least 4 HR, all solo, to account for all the team’s runs since Sep 21, 2016 games decided by 2 runs or more…the Rays have won back-to-back vs. NYY (5 HR in the 11-5 loss)—which, coincidentally, was the last time games, both by 1 run, for the third time this season…for the record, the Rays went back-to-back-to-back (Evan Longoria, Brad Miller, Corey they haven’t played three straight 1-run games, all victories, since Dickerson)…overall, it was the fourth time in club history the Rays went Aug 20-22, 2015 at HOU/OAK…the Rays have played 21 one-run back-to-back-to-back: Sep 21, 2016 vs. NYY (2 outs, 3rd inning), June 24, games this season, 3rd-most in the majors, and they are 9-7 after 2013 vs. TOR (1 out, 2nd inn.) and June 9, 2008 at LAA (0 out, 2nd inn.). an 0-5 start…while they haven’t lost a 1-run game since May 8 vs. Ê The Rays became the second team to hit back-to-back-to-back ATL, they rank 2nd in the majors with 12 one-run losses.