The Rays and Jays are getting ready for the finale of the three-game home-away-from-home series at Disney.
There were no changes on the major-league roster before the games - though there will be one by this time Friday as they reinstate RHP Matt Garza from the DL - but both C Mike DiFelice and RHP Calvin Medlock cleared waivers Thursday and accepted assignments to Triple-A Durham.
New OF Gabe Gross gets his first start as a Ray, and will be the sixth player to start in rightfield in the first 22 games. Eric Hinske will be the DH, an alignment that may become common against righthanded starters.
Garza supposedly feels good going into tomorrow's start, with the radial nerve irritation that landed him on the DL a thing of the past. The supposedly is in there because Garza refused to talk to the media today, citing a previously undisclosed policy of not doing interviews the day before he starts. So that's Maddon take on the situaiton.
To add Garza to the roster, the Rays are expected to either option OF Justin Ruggiano back to Triple-A Durham or drop OF Nathan Haynes, who is out of options and would have to be run through waivers. That move could happen after Thursday's game but seems more likely for Friday.
Also, the Rays say they are expecting "very large" crowds for this weekend's games with Boston and they encourage fans to buy tickets in advance.
Thursday's lineup:
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Hinske, dh
Gross, rf
Navarro, c
Bartlett, ss
Sonnanstine, rhp
Joe Maddon, Johnny Damon and Evan Longoria are only some of the Rays you'll meet through our new video interview series. Don't see your favorite player yet? Check back often, as we'll add to the series as the season progresses.
