clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Game Notes: Karns takes on Gallardo, Longo returns

Also; Longoria returns to the lineup, Kes Carter released, Blake Snell is awesome

By Adam Sanford
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Around 3:40 today, the announcement was made that Alex Cobb had torn his UCL and would undergo Tommy John Surgery, which will sideline for the rest of this season and the majority of next year. It's a crushing blow to a team that was expecting him to be their ace this year, but hopefully help will be on the way soon as Matt Moore could be back in the rotation within a month.

You can read all those details here.

Tonight the Rays will take on the Texas Rangers and they'll send Nathan Karns to the mound to face-off against Yovani Gallardo. Karns is coming off a solid-but-short outing in which he only lasted 5 innings. He was pulled questionably, as he was dealing at the time, throwing a shutout and having only allowed two hits, a walk, and struck out four. The Rays wound up losing the game, after the bullpen allowed 4 runs.

Last night, the Rays took the loss, as Chris Archer struggled with his fastball location and couldn't get past the 4th inning. What made the loss even more disappointing was the fact the Rangers big inning could have been prevented.

Archer seemingly had struckout Rougned Odor to end the inning, but the ball got away from Bobby Wilson, allowing Odor to reach first and loading the bases. Archer then proceeded to walk two runs in, followed by a single that also scored two runs.

Even though Archer was only able to pitch into the 4th, the bullpen wasn't heavily taxed due to the nice performance from Erasmo Ramirez who threw three scoreless innings of relief. Karns opponent, Gallardo, threw 7 shutout innings in his only appearance against the Rays last year. So far this year, Gallardo carries a 4.05 ERA with a 4.18 FIP. He also sports 7.3 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9.

Lineups:

Rangers:

Rays:

Longoria is back in the lineup tonight, meanwhile Elmore and Beckham each get a 2nd straight start.

Gallardo Scouting Report:

Yovani Gallardo has spent the past 8 seasons being a mid-rotation workhorse for the Brewers. The Rangers acquired him the past offseason. Throughout his career, Gallardo has had even splits with righties slashing .269/.319/.313 this year and lefties slashing .265/.333/.485.

Gallardo throws five pitches, a fastball (41%) and sinker (18%) in the low 90's, a slider (24%) in the high 80's, a change-up (5%) in the mid 80's, and a curve (13%) in the low 80's.

Gallardo pretty much uses his fastball in one spot, up and in to righties, high and away to lefties. He's thrown it, in that exact location 30% of the time. With his sinker, he still keeps it up and in to righties, while occasionally dropping it out of the zone. To lefties, he keeps it on the outer edge of the plate. With his slider, he uses it again up and away to lefties, while either jamming righties or sweeping it across the zone and to the low outside corner. With his curve he tried to backdoor lefties, while trying to drop it up and in to righties, or out of the zone. Gallardo rarely throws his change to righties, while using exclusively outside to lefties.

Gallardo really loves throwing to a certain spot:

Gallardo

Other Rays News:

- They released  2011 first rounder, Kes Carter, who was playing in Montgomery. This past offseason, the Rays had sent Carter to the AFL, but he struggled there and continued to struggle with the Biscuits this year. The Rays drafted Carter with the Supplemental pick they received for Joaquin Benoit signing with another team.

- Blake Snell continued to be awesome last night

- Enny Romero completed his rehab and was assigned to Durham

- The Rays pitching has been really good

Go Rays!

More From DRaysBay