Game Notes: MOORE IS BACK!

Today at 12:10, Matt Moore will throw his first pitch from a major league mound since April 7th, 2014, when he went four plus innings against the Kansas City Royals. Moore left that game with an apparent injury, and after several tests were done, it was decided he'd have to undergo Tommy John Surgery effectively sidelining him for the remainder of that season and half of this year. Following last night's loss, the Rays optioned recently acquired Mark Krauss to Durham, meanwhile Moore takes the DFA'd Belisario's place on the 40-man roster.

It's been a long 14 months along the road to recovery for Moore, as he was finally cleared to begin his rehab assignment at the beginning of June. Since then, he has made five starts while working to regain his feel for the mound, trying to harness his secondary stuff as his once high octane heater has been knocked down at least a few notches.

Unfortnatley, most Rays fans will not be able to see Moore's debut due to the earliness of today's game as well as there being no local broadcast. However, those with MLB.tv will be able to watch Indians broadcast of today's game.

Perhaps Rays fans are catching a break, as the Indians are sending reigning Cy Young award winner, Corey Kluber to the mound. The Rays managed to defeat Kluber the last time the faced him, but recently the Rays have been slumping in an extreme way as they have been held hitless in the first five innings of each game this series, and were one strike away from being no-hit last night.

Corey Kluber Scouting Report:

Kluber last faced the Rays on June 20th, and he went seven innings, but Tampa Bay managed four runs off him to secure a victory. In his last outing, Kluber went against the Orioles and again went seven innings, striking out 10, while allowing three runs on seven hits, and he walked only one batter. So far this year, he is 3-9 with a 3.66 ERA and a 2.63 FIP to go along with 28.4 K% and a 5.1 BB% over the course of 16 starts and 110.2 innings pitched. Meanwhile, opponents have slashed .248/.299/.379 with 9 HR in 448 trips to the plate against him

His Arsenal:

Lefties have fared much better against Kluber this year than righties, as they have slashed .286/.352/.419 with 3 HR to go along with a 25.2 K% and a 7.1 BB% in 238 trips to the plate. Meanwhile, righties have slashed .208/.239/.337 with 6 HR to go along with a 31.9 K% and a 2.9 BB% in 210 trips to the plate.

Other Rays Notes:

- Steven Souza Jr is amidst an 0-22 skid in which he hasn't reached base and has also struck out 13 times.

Cash said it's just a day off for Souza and DeJesus

— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) July 2, 2015

- Desmond Jennings update

#rays Jennings said his knee feels fine. Hasn't been cleared for baseball activities yet. Hoping to begin rehab assignment by August

— Roger Mooney (@RMooneyTBO) July 2, 2015

- July 2nd in team history, of which they are 6-10

• 1964 - Jose Canseco 'The Godfather of Steroids' is born, the first ever player in history to have a 40/40 season. He'd spend parts of two seasons with Tampa Bay, the best of which in 1999 when he slugged 34 HR which was a team record until 2007. Canseco slashed .272/.373/.525 with 43 HR in 173 games making him arguably the best DH in team history. Here's a video of him crushing one, just because.

• 1998 - The team signed 16 year old international free agent, Jorge Cantu. He'd make his debut in 2004, and over the course of four seasons in Tampa, he slashed .272/.308/.448 with 44 HR in 332 games played.
• 1998 - Greg Maddux shuts down the Devil Rays on only five hits, using 105 pitches to complete the effort.
• 2008 - After trailing 4-1 heading into the bottom of the 7th against the Red Sox, Jason Bartlett ignites a rally by doubling and stealing third to leadoff an inning in which the Rays scored six time en route to  a 7-6 victory.

• 2013 - David Price (returning from 1st career DL stint) and the bullpen combine to shutout the Houston Astros as the Rays take an 8-0 victory.