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Game 38 Preview: Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays

The Rays offense has erupted this series and tonight, they'll go for the sweep

Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Following Sunday's disheartening loss to the Athletics, the Rays season was on the verge of collapse as they traveled to Toronto. After all, a series defeat at the hands of a division rival, may have sank the team so low in the division that it would have made any playoff aspirations look bleak. However, on Monday night, the Rays torched the Blue Jays for 13 runs, and then again last night for 12 more.

The Rays are now 18-19, five games back of the division leaders. The Blue Jays meanwhile, are falling fast and are now three games under .500 and have dropped to fourth place in the AL East behind the Rays.

Today's Starting Pitchers:

2016 W L ERA FIP K% BB% AVG BABIP HR GS IP fWAR
Jake Odorizzi 0 2 3.83 3.85 19.8% 5.0% .266 .305 6 8 44.2 0.8
R.A. Dickey 2 4 4.31 4.05 16.8% 7.9% .258 .283 5 8 48.0 0.7

Jake Odorizzi has struggled to be consistent so far in 2016 as he has been able to string together a couple of solid starts in a row, but inevitably has a poor outing, like his did on Friday night against the Athletics. Odorizzi picked up his second loss of the season as he allowed five runs on seven hits -- three homers --while he walked one and struck out two in just four innings of work.

RA Dickey Scouting Report:

R.A. Dickey was just terrible in April, but he must have gotten some of Matt Joyce's mojo because May has been a complete turnaround for the veteran knuckle baller. So far in three starts this month, Dickey has allowed just five runs -- three earned -- on 15 hits in just under 22 innings pitched. His last time out, he was dominant, as he allowed just three hits and shutout the Rangers for eight innings earning his first victory since defeating the Rays on April 4th.

His Arsenal:

PITCH AVG. VELO. FREQUECNY vs LHB vs RHB
Fastball 81.1 MPH

0.5% vs LHB

***

2.1% vs RHB

Low and inside Low and away
Sinker 81.7 MPH

3.9% vs LHB

***

10.0% vs RHB

Paints the outside corner Low and inside
Change-up 78.8 MPH

0.2% vs LHB

***

0.2% vs RHB

Thrown once Thrown once
Knuckler 75.6 MPH

95.2% vs LHB

***

87.5% vs RHB

It's a Knuckle Ball It goes wherever it wants

His Splits:

2016 TBF wOBA AVG OBP SLG HR K% BB%
vs LHB 90 .342 .263 .344 .449 3 17.8% 11.1%
vs RHB 112 .303 .255 .295 .406 2 16.1% 5.4%
HOME 106 .354 .283 .330 .505 4 17.0% 6.6%
AWAY 96 .284 .230 .302 .333 1 16.7% 9.4%


Today's Starting Lineups:

TAMPA BAY RAYS TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Brandon Guyer - DH Michael Saunders - LF
Taylor Motter - SS Jose Bautista - RF
Evan Longoria - 3B Edwin Encarnacion - DH
Steven Souza - RF Justin Smoak - 1B
Logan Morrison - 1B Troy Tulowitzky - SS
Desmond Jennings - LF Jimmy Paredes - 3B
Kevin Kiermaier - CF Kevin Pillar - CF
Hank Conger - C Ryan Goins - 2B
Tim Beckham - 2B Josh Tholce - C