TAMPA, Fla. – In an odd situation beginning Thursday night, the New York Yankees are in Tampa for a four-game series as the visiting team at their spring training home. It was something that came about when the Rays announced in November that they would play their home games at Steinbrenner Field after Tropicana Field was damaged by Hurricane Milton a month earlier.
The site of Aaron Judge and the rest of the Yankees (11-7) in a cramped visitor’s clubhouse will be, well, quite a site. Meanwhile, the Rays (8-10) will continue to enjoy the spoils of a renovated home clubhouse that is a major piece among 50,000-sqaure feet of player and staff amenities.
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More importantly, the Rays need to start winning. After opening a three-game series by embarrassing the Red Sox on Monday night, 16-1, they fell 7-4 on Tuesday and 1-0 on Wednesday. Taj Bradley will attempt to help turn things around when he takes the mound Thursday night. He is looking forward to what is sure to be a charged atmosphere with the Boston series having served as an appetizer.
“I love it and I am excited for it,” said the 24-year-old righthander, who is 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. “Even in the (Boston) series, we have Rays (fans) on one side and Red Sox on the other. It’s exciting.”
Here are the probable pitchers for both clubs.
- Thursday, 7:05: Taj Bradley vs. Will Warren
- Friday, 7:05: Drew Rasmussen vs. Carlos Rodon
- Saturday, 4:10: Shane Baz vs. Carlos Carrasco
- Sunday, 1:40: Ryan Pepiot vs. Max Fried
The Yankees will return to Tampa for a two-game series August 15-16.
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Baz Dominating Through Three Starts
With the exception of a few of rough patches, the Rays’ starting rotation has been exceptional. Through 18 games, the starting pitchers have accumulated a 3.40 ERA that is fourth in the American League and sixth in MLB. While the wealth has been spread among six pitchers, including a spot start by Joe Boyle on Sunday afternoon against Atlanta, Shane Baz has been no less than electric.
The 25-year-old righthander, who returned to the Rays at midseason 2024 after missing most of the previous two seasons due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery and assorted setbacks, has glistened in going 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three starts. He has twice established career highs in strikeouts and the 11 he punched out against the Red Sox on Monday is his new high. Baz fanned 10 Pirates on April 1.
“I owe a lot to Danny (Jansen) and Ben (Rortvedt),” said Baz, referring to the Rays’ catching duo while also complimenting the support provided by pitching coach Kyle Snyder and other staff members. “They push me every day and they help me prepare. They make me want to be better every outing. They gameplan for me well and it makes my life a lot easier.”
Baz did not issue a walk in the double-digit strikeout performances against the Pirates and BoSox. According to Stats Perform, that gave him the distinction of becoming the fifth pitcher since at least 1901 to record multiple outings of 10-plus strikeouts and no walks within his first three starts of a season. Each of the other four took place this century: Randy Johnson (2000), Stephen Strasburg (2010), Lance Lynn (2021) and Corbin Burnes (2021).
“I am happier about the no walks,” he said. “That is kind of my game. I don’t want to give out free passes.”
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