clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Rays vs Marlins Preview: This Lineup is...different

With several players mired in slumps, Kevin Cash is shaking things up

MLB: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Rays started off April strong with the best record in franchise history after seven games (5-2), but since then, they have struggled. Since that time, the Rays have a record of 7-12 and a total record of 12-14. They are currently in 4th place in the division, despite losing two of three over the weekend to the last place Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays will now head down to Miami for two games before traveling up to the Trop to finish out the four game set with the Marlins.

The Miami Marlins are 11-12 thus far in 2017, which is actually good enough for second place in the National League East (the Washington Nationals are running away with a five game lead already).

The Rays have activated Jake Odorizzi from the disabled list as he’ll start tonight for them, opposing Wie-Yin Chen with the first pitch slated for 7:10pm. It’s the MLB.TV game of the day as well.

Starting Pitchers

Jake Odorizzi makes his return tonight, the last time he pitched a game was on the 15th in Boston against the Red Sox. He departed the game after just one inning with an injury, but his season up to that point solid (albeit two starts).

It’s been a series of good and bad starts for Chen to begin 2017 as every other outings has been good/awful. He has two starts of allowing a run or less over at least six innings pitched and two starts of allowing four or more runs in under five innings. His last time out was on the 26th against the Phillies where he allowed four runs on seven hits, one home run, while he walked two and struck out three over five innings pitched.

Starting Lineups

Kevin Cash is giving Evan Longoria and Kevin Kiermaier a break as the two have been struggling over the past two weeks

Today's Lineups

TAMPA BAY RAYS MIAMI MARLINS
Peter Bourjos - CF Dee Gordon - 2B
Steven Souza - RF Martin Prado - 3B
Corey Dickerson - LF Christian Yelich - CF
Rickie Weeks - 1B Giancarlo Stanton - RF
Brad Miller - 2B Marcell Ozuna - LF
Tim Beckham - SS Justin Bour - 1B
Derek Norris - C J.T. Realmuto - C
Daniel Robertson - 3B Adeiny Hechavarria - SS
Jake Odorizzi - RHP Wei-Yin Chen - LHP