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Yesterday was a disappointing day for Rays fans as the team was shutout for the 5th time this year, culminating in a 5-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Shortly after the game it was announced that Enny Romero, who walked four straight batters in the 8th, was optioned back to Durham. His replacement will be Preston Guilmet, who they claimed off waivers a couple of weeks ago.
Today, the Rays will send Erasmo Ramirez to the mound to face off against Sonny Gray, who established himself as the ace of the A's last year with a breakout campaign. Ramirez in his last start seemed to start breaking down in the second inning, in which he allowed three runs, but that's all that would score off him as he would register five innings pitched en route to a victory over the Braves. Heading into play today, Ramirez has a record of 2-1, with a 6.44 ERA (2.25 ERA excluding his first two outing), and a 3.85 FIP.
Gray meanwhile, has been dominant to start the 2015 season, with the exception of one or two starts. Kind of like Erasmo! His last time out was one of the 'bad' ones, as he allowed three runs in five innings against the Astros. Despite the poor start, he still holds a record of 4-2, with a 1.92 ERA, and a 2.67 FIP in 61 innings pitched and nine games.
Lineups:
A's:
#Athletics lineup: Burns CF, Semien SS, Reddick RF, Vogt C, Butler DH, Muncy 3B, Canha 1B, Sogard 2B, Fuld LF. Sonny Gray starts.
— Troy Provost-Heron (@Troy_Provost) May 24, 2015
Rays:
Today's #Rays lineup: Kiermaier CF, Souza RF, Longoria 3B, Loney 1B, Forsythe 2b, DeJesus DH, Cabrera SS, Guyer LF, Wilson C, Ramirez RHP
— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) May 24, 2015
Sonny Gray Scouting Report:
Gray can use six pitches to attack opposing hitters; a fastball (31%), sinker (29%), and cutter (3%) in the low-to-mid 90's, and a slider (18%), curve (14%), and change (4%) in the low-to-mid 80's.
Gray uses his fastball away from lefties and righties, elevating and descending in in the zone. With his sinker, he uses his sinker to tail low and away from lefties (occasionally running it inside), while to righties he'll throw it anywhere down in the zone. With his cutter, he tries to backdoor lefties, while sweeping it across the zone to righties. With his slider, he runs it down and in to lefties, while sweeping it across the zone to righties. With his curve and change, he constantly drops it out of the zone, no matter which side of the plate the batter is on.
So far this year, Gray possesses a 23.9 K% and a 7.5 BB%. He has also allowed groundballs 50%, linedrives 14%, flyballs 36%, and infield flyballs 14% of the time.
Other Rays News:
- In Topkin's daily column, he notes that Dewayne Staats is working on a book
Longtime Rays TV man Dewayne Staats is working on a book , due out this summer, of his life story. He's collaborating with well-known St. Petersburg author Dave Scheiber
- There have been a lot of players to have donned Rays uniforms this year
Preston Guilmet will be 42nd player, 23rd P, 15th rookie used by #Rays this season. In all of 2014, Rays used 43 players, 23 Ps, 13 rookies.
— Dave Haller (@HallerDave) May 24, 2015
- The Rays have promoted their first round 2012 pick, Richie Shaffer, to the Durham Bulls.
The #Rays have promoted 3B Richie Shaffer to @DurhamBulls. Congrats, @Rshaff8!
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 23, 2015
- Ryan Brett and C.J. Riefenhauser are scheduled to play today for the Charlotte Stone Crabs
C.J. Riefenhauser will pitch one inning for the #StoneCrabs on Sunday. Ryan Brett will play 7 innings at 2B. #Rays
— Josh Vitale (@JoshVitale) May 23, 2015
Rehabbing #Rays 2B Ryan Brett starting and batting for second for #StoneCrabs. LHP C.J. Riefenhauer scheduled to pitch 1 inning.
— Josh Vitale (@JoshVitale) May 24, 2015
- May 24 in Rays history: