Tampa Bay Rays news and links: The Brendan McKay Series

The Rays stay on the West Coast, but swap leagues, as they head from Seattle on Sunday to start a series with the Padres on Monday. It will be the first interleague series of Brendan McKay’s young career, as he will start Tuesday’s game two and should hit somewhere around the seven spot in the lineup. Should be fun to watch!

From a broader lens, the Padres have fallen off quite a bit since a strong start and sit well outside the playoff picture in the NL. The Rays should look to take advantage of another winnable series here in August, as they look to put a little gap between themselves and the A’s before the final month of the season.

Rays News and Links

• Two-way McKay preps hitting prior to Pads series — Get hyyyyppppeeee!
• Charlie Morton’s best season yet — FanGraphs breakdown of Morton’s studly 2019.
• Yandy Diaz’s injury is latest blow to banged-up Rays — so who will step up in his place? — This is where all that sweet, sweet positional depth is starting to pay off
• Tampa Bay Rays add intriguing minor league slugger on two-year deal — Kissing Cozens (beat you to it, Danny...)
• Former Mariners prospect Ryan Yarbrough returns to Seattle to throw best game of career — View from behind enemy lines (aka The Seattle Times)
• Rays to open 2020 season at home vs. Pirates, visit Cubs
• What to expect from Jake Faria — From the folks over at Brew Crew Ball.
• The stop-and-start history of women’s baseball — Very good read.

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