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It is finally here, after 182 days since the last regular season game played by the Rays, Opening Day is here. Over those excruciatingly long six months, the Rays have added several powerful bats to their everyday line-up, they have rejuvenated their pitching staff, not with additions, but with key members returning and forming one of the most formidable pitching rotations in the league.
The ace of that rotation is Chris Archer, who will be the making the first of presumably many opening day starts of his career later today. He'll be opposed by Marcus Stroman, who is also making his first Opening Day start.
The Starting Pitchers:
Chris Archer vs Marcus Stroman
| 2015 Season | W | L | ERA | FIP | K% | BB% | AVG | HR | GS/G | IP | fWAR |
| Marcus Stroman | 4 | 0 | 1.67 | 3.54 | 17.5% | 5.8% | .208 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 0.5 |
| Chris Archer | 12 | 13 | 3.23 | 2.9 | 21.1% | 8.8% | .219 | 19 | 32 | 194.2 | 5.3 |
Marcus Stroman Scouting Report:
Stroman was supposed to be one of the top starting pitchers in the Blue Jays rotation last season, however, he tore his ACL during spring training and required major surgery, sidelining him until September. When he arrived, the Blue Jays were in the thick of a playoff hunt and he delivered some much needed strong pitching to help out with the juggernaut offense that Toronto had assembled.
Stroman will be beginning his third season in the majors when he takes the mound and he'll turn just 25 years old at the start of May. He has already proven he can get major league hitters out and in 2016, he could possibly bring his game to the next level.
His Arsenal:
| PITCH | VELOCITY | FREQUENCY | vs LHB | vs RHB |
| Fastball | Low 90's |
2.7% vs RHB *** 6.3% vs LHB |
Anywhere | Anywhere |
| Sinker | Low 90's |
63.7% vs RHB *** 36.6% vs LHB |
PAints the outside corner or buries it down in the zone | Keeps it low and away |
| Slider | Mid 80's |
15.7% vs RHB *** 13.7% vs LHB |
Sweeps it, low and in | Sweeps it low and away from the zone |
| Curve | Low 80's |
15.7% vs RHB *** 13.4% vs LHB |
Buries it under the zone | Buries it under the zone |
| Change | Mid 80's |
0.9% vs RHB *** 15.5% vs LHB |
Paints the outside corner | Sporadic |
| Cutter | Low 90's |
1.4% vs RHB *** 14.6% vs LHB |
Anywhere inside | Sporadic |
His Splits:
| CAREER | TBF | wOBA | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | K% | BB% |
| vs LHB | 352 | .276 | .224 | .281 | .337 | 6 | 20.2% | 6.8% |
| vs RHB | 285 | .278 | .264 | .295 | .328 | 3 | 20.4% | 3.5% |
| HOME | 380 | .241 | .213 | .250 | .288 | 4 | 21.3% | 4.5% |
| AWAY | 257 | .330 | .287 | .342 | .403 | 5 | 18.7% | 6.6% |