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What you need to know about Friday’s Rays-Orioles game

Who is pitching, where to watch and listen, and what's ahead for Tampa Bay.
 
The Orioles' Alex Cobb is 0-3, 4.63 in four starts against the Rays since leaving for Baltimore in 2018.
The Orioles' Alex Cobb is 0-3, 4.63 in four starts against the Rays since leaving for Baltimore in 2018. [ MICHAEL DWYER | AP ]
Published July 31, 2020

Tonight: at Orioles

7:35, Camden Yards

TV/radio: Fox Sports Sun; 95.3-FM/620-AM, 96.1 (Spanish)

Rays info: 1-888-326-7297

Probable pitchers

RAYS: LH Blake Snell (0-0, 0.00)

ORIOLES: RH Alex Cobb (1-0, 1.69)

Rays: Snell worked only two innings Sunday in his season debut, throwing 46 pitches in allowing three hits and two walks but no runs. Expects to work three-four on Friday. Is 2-2, 4.67 in five starts vs. O’s, 0-1, 10.57 in two starts in Baltimore.

Orioles: Cobb made a successful 2020 debut after missing most of 2019 with injury. Was 0-3, 4.63 in four 2018 starts vs. Rays after joining O’s that same year. Over parts of six seasons with Rays was 48-35, 3.50, and won 2013 AL wild-card game.

On deck

Saturday: at Baltimore, 7:35. Rays, RH Tyler Glasnow (0-0, 2.25); Orioles, LH Wade LeBlanc (1-0, 6.35)

Sunday: at Baltimore, 1:05. Rays, RH Yonny Chirinos; Orioles, TBA

Monday: Off

Tuesday: vs. Red Sox, 6:40. Rays, TBA; Red Sox, TBA

Wednesday: vs. Red Sox, 6:40. Rays, TBA; Red Sox, TBA

Thursday: vs. Yankees, 6:40. Rays, TBA; Yankees, TBA

Injured list

LH Colin Poche, Tommy John surgery, 45-day, out for season

OF Austin Meadows, positive COVID-19 test, on rehab assignment

OF Randy Arozarena*, positive COVID-19 test, on rehab assignment

* Minor-league injured list

Rays roster

Pitchers (16): LH Jose Alvarado, RH Nick Anderson, LH Jalen Beeks, RH Diego Castillo, RH Yonny Chirinos, RH Oliver Drake, RH Pete Fairbanks, RH Tyler Glasnow, RH Andrew Kittredge, LH Aaron Loup, RH Charlie Morton, RH Trevor Richards, RH Chaz Roe, LH Blake Snell, RH Ryan Thompson, LH Ryan Yarbrough

Catchers (3): Michael Perez, Kevan Smith, Mike Zunino

Infielders (7): Willy Adames, Mike Brosseau, Ji-Man Choi, Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, Jose Martinez, Joey Wendle

Outfielders (4): Kevin Kiermaier, Manuel Margot, Hunter Renfroe, Yoshi Tsutsugo

Taxi squad: LH Anthony Banda, INF Daniel Robertson

* An off season

With players “strongly encouraged” to not leave the hotels except for games, “going out” for lunch on the road is reduced to ordering in via (contactless) delivery. Infielder Mike Brosseau sampled Atlanta favorite Farm Burger, while pitcher Blake Snell opened his Uber Eats app, clicked on the top-rated option for American food and ordered a chicken sandwich. “I don’t even know (the name of the restaurant),” Snell said. “I’m not too picky. … It was pretty good. Not the best, but it got the job done.”

— Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Some things different about 2020

• Season shortened to 60 games, about 37 percent of usual 162.

• Teams playing only against their division and corresponding geographical division in other league, so AL and NL East for Rays.

• Rosters have 30 players to start season, then reduced after two weeks to 28, then two more weeks to 26, the original planned limit.

• Fans not allowed inside Tropicana Field, at least at start of season. There are plans, depending on virus situation, to host 5,000-7,000 a game later in season.

• Fake fan noise, created from recordings of actual crowds and adapted for and then from MLB The Show video game, will be played, along with more music and sound effects.

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• Most weekday home games start at 6:40 p.m., moved up from 7:10. All games on Fox Sports Sun.

• For extra-inning games, each team will start with runner on second. The runner is the batter who made last out of previous inning or a pinch-runner.

• All pitchers must face minimum of three batters, except for injury or illness.

• DH will be used in both leagues.

• Injured list stays are 10 days for all players (shortened from 15 for pitchers), and long-term list is 45 days, down from 60.

• Games halted due to weather before becoming official will be resumed at later date, not started over.