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Everything you need to know about today’s Rays opener

Here’s the lineups, schedule of events, what’s new at the Trop, and some big numbers.
 
The logo painted on the Trop turf Wednesday made it official that it's time for baseball. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
The logo painted on the Trop turf Wednesday made it official that it's time for baseball. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
Published March 28, 2019|Updated March 28, 2019

UPDATE, 10:22: Here’s the official Rays lineup, pretty much as we had it below:

Austin Meadows, rf

Tommy Pham, lf

Ji-Man Choi, 1b

Brandon Lowe, dh

Yandy Diaz 3b

Joey Wendle 2b

Willy Adames, ss

Kevin Kiermaier, cf

Mike Zunino, c

Blake Snell, p

RELATED: Why Blake Snell is not here to talk about the past

DEVELOPING:

For openers

Here is the Rays projected opening day roster:

Pitchers (12): LH Jose Alvarado, LH Jalen Beeks, Diego Castillo, Yonny Chirinos, Wilmer Font, Tyler Glasnow, LH Adam Kolarek, Charlie Morton, Chaz Roe, LH Blake Snell, Ryne Stanek, LH Ryan Yarbrough.

Catchers (2): Michael Perez, Mike Zunino

Infielders (6): Willy Adames, Ji-Man Choi, Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, Daniel Robertson, Joey Wendle

Outfielders (5): Avisail Garcia, Guillermo Heredia, Kevin Kiermaier, Austin Meadows, Tommy Pham

Injured list (3): Anthony Banda, Jose De Leon, Matt Duffy

With teams now required to send their lineups first to MLB, here are educated guesses at what we may see:

ASTROS

George Springer, cf

Alex Bregman, 3b

Jose Altuve, 2b

Carlos Correa*, ss

Michael Brantley, lf

Yuli Gurriel, 1b

Tyler White, DH

Josh Reddick, rf

Robinson Chirinos, c

Justin Verlander, P

(* - Correa is questionable with a neck issue)

RAYS

Austin Meadows, rf

Tommy Pham, lf

Ji-Man Choi, 1b

Brandon Lowe, dh

Yandy Diaz 3b

Joey Wendle 2b

Willy Adames, ss

Kevin Kiermaier, cf

Mike Zunino, c

Blake Snell, p

Opening Day schedule

Noon: Trop parking lots open

Noon-2: Pregame “tailgate” party at the Outfielder and Ballpark & Rec (in stadium)

2: Trop gates open (Rays player greetings at Gate 1 and draft room)

3:35: Team introductions

3:50: National anthem, actor Jessica Phillips

3:53: Ceremonial first pitch, St. Petersburg City Council chairman Charles Gerdes

3:58: Rays take the field

4: First pitch by Blake Snell

Trop changes of note

* Cash not accepted, but can be used to purchase gift cards

* Upper deck closed, lowest price seats in party deck and corners

* No backpacks allowed expect for medical reasons or as diaper bags

* After opening day, gates open 90 minutes before first pitch

* New LED lighting system allowing for entertainment use, new turf


Today’s matchup

Today: vs. Astros 4, Tropicana Field

TV/radio: Fox Sports Sun; 95.3 FM, 92.9 FM (Spanish)

Tickets: Sold out

Promotion: Schedule magnet

Rays info: 1-888-326-7297

Probable pitchers

Rays: LH Blake Snell (21-5, 1.89 in 2018)

Astros: RH Justin Verlander (16-9, 2.52)

Rays: Snell won the AL Cy Young for an amazing and historic season. Pitched only three innings in big-league spring games, working mostly on back fields. Is 2-1, 4.10 in five starts vs. Astros.

Astros: Verlander was runner-up to Snell for the Cy, which wife Kate Upton noted on social media. Capped a solid spring with a two-year, $66 million extension. Is 8-4, 3.42 vs. Rays; 5-3, 3.05 at Trop.

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RAYS VS. VERLANDER

Avisail Garcia 8-for-32

Kevin Kiermaier 1-for-8

Joey Wendle 3-for-5

Mike Zunino 0-for-11

ASTROS VS. SNELL

Jose Altuve 3-for-10 2 HR

Alex Bregman 5-for-10 HR

Yuli Gurriel 3-for-11

George Springer 3-for-8

On deck

Friday: vs. Astros, 7:10. Rays, RH Charlie Morton (15-3, 3.13 in 2018); Astros, RH Gerrit Cole (15-5, 2.88)

Saturday: vs. Astros, 6:10. Rays, RH Tyler Glasnow (2-7, 4,27); Astros, RH Collin McHugh (6-2, 1.99)

Sunday: vs. Astros, 1:10. Rays, opener TBD; Astros, LH Wade Miley (5-2, 2.57)

Injured list

LH Anthony Banda, Tommy John recovery, 10-day RH Jose De Leon, Tommy John recovery, 10-day 3B Matt Duffy, hamsting/back, 10-day

Rays numbers

8

Rays players experiencing first opening day: Willy Adames, Jalen Beeks, Diego Castillo, Adam Kolarek, Brandon Lowe, Austin Meadows, Michael Perez, Ryne Stanek,

10

Consecutive seasons Rays have opened at home, 15th overall in 22 seasons

11-10

Rays record in season openers

85

Projected wins this season by Baseball Prospectus PECOTA system

151

Different batting orders used by Kevin Cash in 162 games last season; take the over

162

Games to be televised by Fox Sports Sun; pre-game show starts Thursday at 3

25,025

New capacity at Tropicana Field, smallest in MLB since the 1961 Angels played at Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field.