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Marc Topkin's takeaways from Thursday's Rays-Jays game

 
Published Aug. 18, 2017

RHP Tommy Hunter has been so good emerging as the top set-up man for closer Alex Colome with a dazzling run, but twice in five days he has given up a game-losing homer, Sunday to Cleveland's Austin Jackson and Thursday to Toronto's Justin Smoak.

Manager Kevin Cash's reconfiguring of the lineup changes the look for most of the hitters, such as moving Evan Longoria up to No. 2, but the bigger benefit should come later in games in better matchups as managers work around alternating right- and left-handed hitters.

Getting shut down by dominant pitchers like Boston's Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel is one thing, but the Rays have also been fallow against lesser heralded crews such as Toronto rookie starter Chris Rowley and relievers Danny Barnes and Dominic Leone.