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Rays' Chris Archer says he wasn't throwing at Blue Jays

 
Rays starter Chris Archer, who plunked two Blue Jays in his recent outing in Toronto, says he would never throw intentionally at another batter.
Rays starter Chris Archer, who plunked two Blue Jays in his recent outing in Toronto, says he would never throw intentionally at another batter.
Published April 26, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG — RHP Chris Archer faces the Blue Jays again today saying it was their fault words were exchanged during his last start in Toronto as they misunderstood his intentions in hitting two batters.

When Toronto RHP Marco Estrada retaliated by drilling Rays 3B Evan Longoria in the April 16 game, Archer objected from the Rays dugout — "I said, 'For what? Why?' " — and as the umps told him to cool it, Jays LHP Mark Buehrle chirped back.

"It seemed more like a misunderstanding than anything," Archer said Saturday.

"I think they assumed that I was trying to intentionally hit people, but if you go back and look at the situations where it got away there is no way I would."

Archer, who hit Russell Martin in the second inning and Edwin Encarnacion in the seventh, said he would never intentionally throw at a batter — and would prefer to settle any differences more directly anyway.

"I'm the type of person if I have a true issue with them, their locker room is right there," he said. "We can hash it out verbally or however we need to if there really is an issue. And I don't think there's an issue there with this team at all."

JENNINGS OUT: OF Desmond Jennings left the game after the seventh due to soreness in his left knee, the same one that sidelined him the final month of last season. "His knee kind of flared up a little bit," manager Kevin Cash said. "With where we're at right now, we need to be very smart on some of our decisions. So we figured let's get him out of the game, let him rest it, get it evaluated."

TEAFORD BACK, DYKSTRA GONE: Pleased with the four innings they got from RHP Erasmo Ramirez, the Rays were prepped for worse, calling up LHP Everett Teaford, who had been starting at Triple-A Durham, to provide backup.

To make room on the 40-man roster, they designated for assignment 1B Allan Dykstra, who was sent down Friday when 1B James Loney returned from the DL.

Teaford, 30, had some big-league time with the Royals 2011-13, but after spending last season pitching in Korea he didn't think he'd get back.

"When I went to Korea, I thought baseball in the states was probably done, to be completely honest with you," Teaford said. "To go over there, have some ups and downs, and be able to come back and get to the big leagues, I don't want to say I ever took it for granted when I was up with Kansas City or going up and down, but now it's definitely pretty special."

Cash said the Rays would "love" to have Dykstra back at Triple A if he doesn't get claimed (or traded), though they have J.P. Arencibia there now.

MEDICAL MATTERS: RHP Alex Colome, recovering from pneumonia, makes his fourth rehab start today for Durham, with the potential to rejoin the Rays rotation Friday in Baltimore. … LHP Jake McGee said he felt fine after throwing a 21-pitch all-fastball bullpen session, with no issues from the stiff back that set him back last week. If all is well, he will make his first rehab appearance for Class A Charlotte on Tuesday then likely at least two more before rejoining the Rays. … RHP Alex Cobb said he felt good the day after his first bullpen session since March due to forearm tendinitis and looks to throw off the mound again Monday.

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MISCELLANY: 3B Evan Longoria logged his fifth career four-hit game, his first at the Trop. … RHP Ernesto Frieri got the win, the fourth straight game a reliever did so. … Cash said the decision to lift LHP Drew Smyly after 42/3 innings Friday in his first post-DL start — one out shy of qualifying for the win — was on him, the result of a strict 80-pitch limit. … The Jays made history as the first team to have three Canadian-born position players in the starting lineup: C Russell Martin and OFs Michael Saunders and Dalton Pompey.