Pitching has been the name of the game for the Tampa Bay Rays, especially of late.
They will need to maintain the elite work on the mound if they want to stay atop the American League East standings as August approaches.
The Rays will try to claim another series victory on Thursday afternoon when they face the Texas Rangers in the finale of their three-game set in St. Petersburg, Fla.
On Wednesday, the Rays followed the recipe that has worked for them: Starting pitching that was simply lights out, hitting that was infrequent but timely enough, and a bullpen that slammed the door.
All of that resulted in a 3-0 victory as five Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout of the Rangers.
In fact, there were only seven hits throughout the game for both teams — six of them for extra bases. The Rangers smacked four doubles, and the Rays had two home runs and a double.
Yandy Diaz led off with a homer for the only run the Rays would need in their ninth shutout of the season and third in four games. Ryan Vilade added on with a seismic two-run shot off the catwalk soon after.
And that was it for the offense, happy to help out the pitching staff.
“Each and every one of them goes out there and competes their butt off,” Vilade said. “We’ve just got to get a couple of runs for them and we know they’re going to go out there and shove.”
Tampa Bay has allowed only 16 runs in the past nine outings, going 7-2 in that stretch.
Thursday starter Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.09 ERA) is 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in two career starts against Texas.
The left-hander is 3-1 with a 2.42 ERA in July.
The Rangers have watched Ezequiel Duran transform from utility man to everyday player with his consistently strong performances in the infield and outfield.
Although his eight-game hitting streak was stopped Wednesday, Duran is enjoying his best season since his 2023 breakout when he batted .276 with 14 homers and 46 RBIs during the club’s championship run.
In the absence of the injured Corey Seager, Duran played shortstop Tuesday and third base Wednesday. Duran is hitting .271 with 12 homers and 57 RBIs this season.
“I don’t know what the numbers say, but he’s got to be in the top 10 conversation at shortstop — defensive, baserunning, hitting, WAR, whatever projection you have,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “It’s just incredible what he’s doing, thrust in a position where we didn’t really know where he was going to play at the beginning of the year.
“Now he’s playing every day at short. Lefties, righties, it doesn’t matter. He’s an everyday player. It’s been awesome.”
Seager (back) homered in his first rehab game on Tuesday, belting an opposite-field solo shot to left for the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders.
After Wednesday’s loss, Texas acquired catcher Logan O’Hoppe and reliever Chase Silseth from the Los Angeles Angels for minor-league infielder Angel Arredondo.
Right-hander Cole Winn (5-3, 6.11) will make his first start of his career on Thursday. He allowed two solo homers in two thirds of an inning to take the 6-4 loss against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.
Winn recorded a no-decision in his lone career meeting with Tampa Bay. He did not allow a hit in one scoreless inning of work.
–Field Level Media
