The Rays are looking to make it a sweep of the quick two-game series against the Nationals in today’s matinee, first pitch 1:10.
Rookie Josh Fleming was lined up to start, but the Rays instead will use reliever Pete Fairbanks as the opener today. It will be Fairbanks' first “start” in the majors, though he did make one such appearance at Triple-A Durham last year and was a starter earlier in his career.
Manager Kevin Cash said a big part of the reasoning was that Fairbanks has not been as sharp lately and the change of roles may help, as it benefited some other relievers previously. “He has been in kind of that pressure-cooker environment lately every time he’s come in,” Cash said.
The Rays leave after the game today for Baltimore, where they play a doubleheader on Thursday. They will be the “home” team for the second game, which is a makeup of the Aug. 27 postponement at Tropicana Field.
Blake Snell will pitch the first game at 4:35, with the second to be determined. Trevor Richards, a candidate to start, was at the Trop Wednesday morning, which would mean he is either on the taxi squad, will be designated as the “29th man” for the doubleheader, or both.
Also of note:
* Cody Reed’s pinky issue is not getting better and will require “more detailed” evaluation. He was throwing a bullpen session Tuesday in Port Charlotte and had to stop after 11 pitches. “The finger is not just feeling right for whatever reason,” Cash said.
* Catcher Mike Zunino (oblique) is getting some more at-bats this morning in Port Charlotte. If all goes well, he will join the Rays on the trip to Baltimore and New York (Mets), with the idea that he’d be activated after the weekend.
* Though Yandy Diaz (hamstring) was playing catch on the field Wednesday morning with head athletic trainer Joe Benge, Cash said Diaz still is “pretty limited with running and putting pressure on his hamstring area" and progress, as expected, has been slow.
Here is the Rays' lineup for Wednesday, against struggling Nationals right-hander Austin Voth:
Meadows DH
B. Lowe 2b
Arozarena lf
N. Lowe 1b
Margot rf
Wendle 3b
Adames ss
Kiermaier cf
Perez c
Fairbanks p
And for the Nationals:
Eaton rf
Hernandez dh
Turner ss
Soto lf
Cabrera 1b
Gomes c
Kieboom 3b
Garcia 2b
Robles cf
Voth p