The Rays are set to take on the NL leading Dodgers in a two-game series starting tonight with a 10:10 p.m. Tampa Bay time game that is televised only on YouTube.
Blake Snell is making his first start for the Rays since July 21, having undergone surgery July 29 to remove bone chips from his left elbow. He is expected to work only two innings, possibly into a third.
With no DH, the Rays are likely to use a series of pitchers for two-inning or so stints and make ample use of the pinch-hitters on their bench so the pitchers don’t have to hit.
With Snell coming off the injured list, they have a franchise record 38 active players.
The Dodgers changed from their announced plans to start righty Ross Stripling, instead opting to use lefty Caleb Ferguson, with Stripling schedule for later duty.
The Rays are playing at Dodger Stadium for the third time since 2013, after not making a trip in their first 15 seasons. They are 1-4 there.
Here is the Rays lineup, with a righty-lefty balance:
Pham lf
Meadows rf
d’Arnaud c
Choi 1b
Duffy 3b
Wendle 2b
Adames ss
Kiermaier cf
Snell p
And here is the Dodgers lineup:
Freese 1b
Pollock lf
Taylor 3b
Bellinger cf
Muncy 2b
Hernandez rf
Seager ss
Smith c
Ferguson p