After pulling out the series finale at Wrigley Field, and once again avoiding their first three-game losing streak, the Rays are in Boston for a busy weekend.
The first of four games in less than 48 hours is Friday night (7:10) when Tyler Glasnow makes his second start of the season. The 6-foot-8 righthander, who allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings after cruising through the first three innings against the Dodgers last Saturday, will be opposed by Garrett Whitlock.
The Rays and BoSox (29-27) will play twice Saturday (1:10/6:10) in a rarely scheduled doubleheader, the first in Fenway since 1978, according to the team. The series concludes Sunday afternoon (1:35).
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With four games in such a short window, it is imperative the starting pitchers go as deep as possible to help a bullpen that has endured its share of wear and tear of late.
A bullpen missing Pete Fairbanks (hip discomfort) managed to blank the Cubs in all three games in Wrigley, including Jalen Beeks escaping a bases-loaded situation in the ninth inning Wednesday for his first save.
While veteran arms have rotated in and out of the bullpen this season, it has also had its share of less experienced relievers such as Kevin Kelly and, most recently, Joe LaSorsa, who made an impressive MLB debut on Memorial Day.
“We have a lot of guys that are either young and don’t have a ton of reps in high-leverage moments,” said manager Kevin Cash, whose team is an MLB-best 40-18. “We are going to have to continue to lean on them. We have some guys who have been there and done that and, hopefully, they are all working together. I am impressed anytime they are able to close out a tight ballgame and make big pitches with guys on base.”
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That will likely have to continue against Boston, who the Rays swept at Tropicana Field in April. Since then, the Red Sox have gone 24-19 thanks in large part to a lineup that has picked up the pace offensively.
The Rays continuing to get the long ball in key situations, as Brandon Lowe and Jose Siri did against the Cubs in the series finale, will also help. The bats were cold (one run, eight hits) in the first two games of the Chicago series.
“It’s going to happen over the course of a season,” said Cash, of the mini drought. “But you like to, when you are in striking distance in a one- or two-run ballgame, to be able to get somebody on base and knock one out. We did it twice (Wednesday).”
The Rays are back home next Tuesday for the first of three games against the Twins. The Rangers, every bit as potent at the plate as the Rays, arrive at the Trop for what should be an entertaining three-game series next weekend.
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