After suffering a loss last night to the Angels, thanks to the bats of Albert Pujols and Mike Trout, and with Felix Hernandez doing his best Alex Colome impression, the Rays are again a game back in the AL East behind New York. But, the Rays did manage to snap their 25 inning scoreless streak on June 1st, so that's a plus.
Tonight, they'll send Chris Archer to the mound, who's coming off one of the best starts of his young career. Last Wednesday he and Felix Hernandez had one of the best pitching duels of the season as they exchanged zeros on the scoreboard. Archer would go eight shutout innings, while striking out 12 and only allowing two hits, also didn't allow any walks. The start would be spoiled however, as the usually reliable Brad Boxburger allowed a three run home run and the Rays would lose 3-0. So far this year, Archer has a record of 5-4 with a 2.12 ERA and 2.42 FIP to go along with a career high 30.7 K% and 7.5 BB%.
His opponent will be C.J. Wilson who carries a 3-3 record into play, along with a 3.18 ERA and 3.50 FIP in 65 innings pitched over 10 starts. His last time out against Detroit, he pitched six solid innings and allowed one run on two hits, with seven strikeouts and five walks.
C.J. Wilson Scouting Report:
Wilson has six pitches he can throw to opposing hitters: A fastball (30%) and sinker (26%) in the low 90's, a change (15%), slider (11%), and cutter (8%) in the mid 80's, and a curve (10%) in the high 70's.
He likes to keep his fastball away from lefties, while placing it anywhere up in the zone to righties. Wilson runs his sinker in, under lefties hands and trailing down and away from righties. Wilson doesn't really throw his cutter to lefties, but to righties he has it run inside and usually out of the zone. He uses his slider in one spot, down and in to righties, and down and away to lefties, and usually out of the zone. He rarely uses the change to lefties, while keeping it either away or low to righties. His curve is used the exact same way as his slider.
So far this season, Wilson has a 18.3 K%, which is the lowest of his career (outside of his rookie campaign), and he also has a 7.8 BB%, which is the best of his career. Wilson is also producing the most fly balls of his career as they're hit 35.2% of the time off him, with line drive being hit 20.7% and ground balls 44.1%.
Other Rays Notes:
- Rays milestone tidbits:
- David DeJesus needs one HR to reach 100 for his career
- Kevin Kiermaier needs one triple (12) to tie Evan Longoria and Miguel Cairo for 10th all-time in team history
- Brad Boxbureger needs one save (18) to tie Dan Wheeler for 13th in team history
- Chris Archer needs one win (26) to tie Albie Lopez and Esteban Yan for 12th in team history
- Rays viewership is as strong as ever
Per @SunSportsRays, TV ratings for #Rays games are up 4 percent over this point last year. pregame show up 33 pct, postgame show up 8 pct.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 2, 2015
- Kirby Yates, who last pitched on April 14th, is set to make his first rehab appearance on Thursday. Matt Moore will make his first rehab start tomorrow afternoon with Port Charlotte.
#Rays RHP Kirby Yates (strained right pectoral) will pitch one inning in a rehab assignment with the #StoneCrabs on Thursday.
— Josh Vitale (@JoshVitale) June 2, 2015
- June 2nd in Rays History, of which they are 5-9 All-time.
- 1970 - Mike Kelly is born, he would be the first ever player acquired by the Rays through a trade. They sent Dmitri Young to the Reds to complete the deal. Kelly would slash .240/.295/.401 with 10 HR in 106 games.
- 1998 - The team drafts Aubrey Huff, Joe Kennedy, and Brandon Backe.
- 1999 - The team selects Josh Hamilton with the first overall pick of the draft, then takes Carl Crawford with their 2nd pick.
- 2000 - Fred McGriff hits his 400th career HR.
- 2004 - Paul Abbott is released after going 2-5 with a 6.70 ERA and 6.11 FIP in 10 games.
- 2008 - Signed 17 year old, Enny Romero
- 2010 - For the second game in a row, the Rays stage a big comeback in the top of the 9th against Toronto, scoring six times (including a grand slam from Carl Crawford) en route to a 7-3 victory
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