Game Notes: Odorizzi vs Price

Since being traded in the final hours leading up to last year's trade deadline, David Price has made one start against his former team. Back on August 21st, David Price took on the Rays back at the Trop and the way he lost the game, it seemed as if he was never dealt away. Price pitched a complete game, striking out nine batters and only allowing one hit. He didn't even walk a hitter, yet he still came away with a loss as a run had scored thanks to an error.

He returns to the Trop for only the second time in a Detroit uniform approximately a year after joining the Tigers. He'll be facing a Rays roster that features zero of the players he was acquired for, however, this Rays roster is finally close to being back at opening day form as they are only missing two players from their bench who started the season on the active roster (Bobby Wilson and Desmond Jennings).

Last night, the Rays relied on two rookies to lead them to victory as Nathan Karns delivered six shutout innings before Yeonis Cespedis showed what he can do when he faces a pitcher for the third time in a game. Meanwhile, Curt Casali hit two homers against the team that valued a Rule-5 pick over him, becoming the first Rays catcher to have a multi-homer game in the regular season since Kelly Shoppach did it back in 2010.

In 2012, Jake Odorizzi was stuck in Kansas City's Triple-A affiliate, trying to push his way into the majors. He managed to make major league debut that season, but didn't stick and ended season in the minors. Little did he know that he'd be dealt for James Shields that offseason and he'd eventually be joining a rotation that featured the 2012 Cy Young award winner, David Price.

Tonight, Odorizzi will faceoff against his old rotation mate. Heading into tonight's game, Odorizzi is 5-6 with a 2.85 ERA and a 3.33 FIP to go along with a 19.7 K% and a 6.7 BB% over the course of 15 starts and 91.2 innings pitched, meanwhile batters have hit just .218 off him. Since returning from the disabled list on the 11th, Odorizzi has only made three starts and hasn't really pitched that far into the game, suffering from Kevin Cash's early hook. His last time out was on Wednesday against the Phillies, where he went five innings and allowed two runs on five hits, walked two, and struck out five.

David Price Scouting Report:

David Price has been great this year, and has been getting better as the season has progressed. Heading into play tonight, he is 9-3 with a 2.31 ERA and a 2.82 FIP to go along with a 23.7 K% and a 4.8 BB% over the course of 20 starts and 140 innings pitched. However, since the beginning of May (15 starts), his ERA has been under 2.00 and his walk percentage is under four. His last time out was on the 23rd against Seattle, he went eight innings and allowed two runs on five hits, walked one, and struck out seven.

Price's arsenal:

Brooks Baseball is still currently down

Price has been more of a ground ball pitcher this year, although he is posting the lowest ground ball totals of his career thus far. Nonetheless, opponents have hit the ball on the ground 39.5% of the time, meanwhile fly balls are hit 35.7% of the time, with the remaining 24.7% being line drives.

Price's splits:

Other Rays Notes:

- Former Rays all-star, Ben Zobrist, is on his way to Kansas City as now both Rays players acquired by Oakland this offseason, are now with different teams.

#Royals announce that they've acquired INF/OF Ben Zobrist from Oakland in exchange for P Aaron Brooks and Sean Manaea.

— Royals (@Royals) July 28, 2015

- July 27th in team history, of which they are 8-6 all-time

• 2000 - Bryan Rekar delivers a complete game earning the victory for Tampa Bay, allowing three runs on eight hits during a Devil Ray 10-3 win over the Royals.

• 2000 - The Devil Rays deal fan favorite, Bubba Trammell and Rick White to the New York Mets for prospect, Jason Tyner and former top prospect, Paul Wilson. A few hours before, the team acquired another one of baseball's top prospects, Jesus Colome, from the Oakland Athletics for Jim Mecir and Todd Belitz.

• 2001 - After Esteban Yan blew a save in the bottom of the ninth against the Rangers, the Devil Rays comeback for four runs in the top of the tenth thanks to two walks and four singles. They'd win the game, 7-3
• 2004 - The Devil Rays total nine extra base hits in a 10-1 victory over Kansas City, including homeruns hit by Aubrey Huff, Jose Cruz, and Tino Martinez.
• 2006 - The New York Yankees and Chien-Ming Wang dominate the Devil Rays. Wang through a complete game shutout, only allowing two hits, two walks, and struck out one during a 6-0 Yankee victory.
• 2007 - In a game that featured a clutch two run homer from Jonny Gomes to tie the game in the ninth, the Devil Rays bullpen (Brian Stokes and Jae-Kuk Ryu to be exact) combined to allow six runs to Boston in the 12th and Tampa Bay would go on to lose, 12-6.

Jonny Gomes Multi-HR Day - Josh Paul's Solo HR - Akinori Iwamura's Great Stop - James Shields' 7 Strikeouts

• 2007 - The Devil Rays make three trades, two of which will have a huge impact on the Rays in the coming years. The first deal they sent Seth McClung to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for a fireballing Australian named Grant Balfour. The next move they made was sending infielder Ty Wigginton to the Houston Astros for Dan Wheeler. The final move of the day was sending Jorge Cantu and Shaun Cumberland to the Cincinnati Reds for Calvin Medlock and Brian Shackelford
• 2011 - Trailing 5-2 entering the top of the 7th against Oakland, the Rays strike for seven runs and they'd go on to win the game, 10-8. Desmond Jennings also hit his first career homer during this game as well

• 2012 - Matt Moore and the Rays bullpen combine to shutout the Angels on only five hits, striking out 11 in a 3-0 victory.

• 2013 - In his return to New York, Alfonso Soriano continues where he left off by decimating the Rays. He'd go 4-5 and actually had the walkoff hit against Jake McGee to win the game, 6-5.