Arizona Diamondbacks rookie right-hander Jose Cabrera will look to follow a strong major league debut with an encore performance on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday evening in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Cabrera (0-0, 0.00 ERA) threw five shutout innings against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, allowing three hits and striking out three. He’ll look to help Arizona even the series with the Rays at a game apiece.
The Diamondbacks opened the three-game set with a 6-1 loss on Friday.
On Sunday, although the 24-year-old Cabrera didn’t factor into the decision of a 4-2 home loss to the Twins, his outing provided a boost for an Arizona club dealing with a wave of pitching injuries.
Right-hander Corbin Burnes and left-hander A.J. Puk suffered new injuries in their attempts to return from Tommy John surgery and likely will be sidelined until late in the season. Ryne Nelson (right elbow) was moved to the 60-day injured list, and Michael Soroka (left glute) is expected to miss four weeks.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said he was impressed with Cabrera’s repertoire of pitches and said it was unfortunate he didn’t have an opportunity to earn his first win.
“He mixes up his pitches,” Lovullo said. “And does a nice job of getting some swing and miss.”
Cabrera and Geraldo Perdomo are natives of the Dominican Republic. The D-backs’ shortstop recalled facing Cabrera during a live batting practice session and being so impressed that he urged Arizona to sign the right-hander.
“I know how hard he has been working and how much work he’s put in at home,” Perdomo said. “He’s a really good guy; I know he’s going to help this team a lot. He’s really aggressive and he can throw strikes.”
Cabrera will be tasked with slowing Junior Caminero. After cranking out three homers in a 13-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, the Rays slugger launched a first-inning, 437-foot, three-run homer on Friday.
Caminero has been on a tear in his last four games, with seven hits, five homers and 12 RBIs.
Cedric Mullins hit his seventh home run of the season in the seventh inning on Friday and said Tampa Bay has fed off Caminero’s positive vibes.
“He’s playing with a lot of poise and a lot of confidence,” Mullins said. “He’s ready to attack the ball and attack the game every single day and is getting a lot of success out of it. He brings a lot of energy.”
Even as opposing pitchers game-plan to limit the damage Caminero can do, Rays manager Kevin Cash continues to marvel at the third baseman’s ability to drive the ball. Caminero currently ranks sixth in the major leagues with 20 home runs.
“He’s trying to get the ball up in the air,” Cash said. “He’s pitched incredibly tough by every pitcher in baseball. They’re all trying to not let him get extended. But when he does, he gets it out there and the ball goes as far as any guy in baseball.”
The Rays are set to give Cole Sulser (1-0, 5.40 ERA) his second start of the season. The right-hander has appeared in 28 games covering 31 2/3 innings and hasn’t allowed a run in his last four appearances, all out of the bullpen.
In three career relief outings against the D-backs, Sulser has pitched three scoreless innings, allowing no hits, walking two and striking out three.
–Field Level Media
