Tampa Bay Rays news and links: Tanaka continues to be a riddle the Rays can’t solve

Masahiro Tanaka stymied the Rays offense in last night’s series opener.

The Japanese native threw a two-hit complete game shutout, continuing to torment the Rays. In three starts against them this season, he’s allowed just one run combined.

He did indeed get the CGSO.

But as we know, baseball is a game of high variance. If you’re thinking Tanaka has some magic powers that he harnesses specifically when he pitches against the Rays, he doesn’t. In his career against the Rays coming into 2019, he carried an ERA of 3.72, slightly above his overall career mark.

Simply put, the hits will come against Tanaka.

Rays Links

• TWIRB celebrates Father’s Day

• Austin Meadows falls to fourth in All-Star voting- GET OUT THERE AND VOTE PEOPLE!
• Jose Alvarado’s return not imminent- Eduardo Encina, Tampa Bay Times
• ICYMI: Losing Edwin Encarnacion sugests the Rays are still not willing to spend
• LOOK AT THIS BAT FLIP from Rays prospect Chris Betts featuring Wander Franco at the end:

Other links

• Power Rankings from MLB dot com, ESPN and The Athletic
• Edwin Encarnacion is built for the Yankees- Zach Kram, The Ringer
• A Negro League player from Tampa is gone, but he leaves an important legacy behind- John Romano, Tampa Bay Times
• The 5 most intriguing relievers on the market- Matt Kelly, MLB dot com; Could one of these 5 end up in a Rays uniform?
• Every contender should trade for this guy- Mike Petriello, MLB dot com
• Dallas Keuchel could make his 2019 debut as soon as Friday

Ryne Stanek gets the start tonight for the Rays opposite Yankees lefty J.A. Happ. The Rays hope to set themselves up for a rubber match tomorrow afternoon.