The Rays are 23-12, riding a 5-game heater, and just took the first 2 from the Blue Jays 5-1 and 4-3. Now they get the finale at home with Shane McClanahan on the mound. Things are going pretty well in St. Pete right now.
McClanahan is coming off his best start of the year — 6 scoreless against the Giants — and he's been the steadying force for a Tampa rotation that has been duct-taped together with rehab assignments. Toronto counters with Patrick Corbin, which is the kind of matchup that explains why the home side is laying -1.5 and -136 on the moneyline.
The Rays' rotation injury list reads like a depth chart of its own. Ryan Pepiot is done for the season after hip surgery scheduled for May 13, Joe Boyle and Steven Matz are working back through the 15-day IL, and Mason Englert is on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Durham. Gavin Lux is rehabbing in Durham too. They've still won 5 straight despite all of it, which is the kind of thing that tends to either regress hard or quietly turn into a real season.
- Day-To-DayGeovanny Jesus Planchart C — no
- Day-To-DayChay Yeager RP — Yeager will undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- Day-To-DayCJ Stubbs C — The Blue Jays signed Stubbs to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training.
- Day-To-DayJaven Coleman P — no
- 10-Day-ILNathan Lukes RF — Lukes (hamstring) has begun a running progression, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger RF — Manager John Schneider said Barger (ankle) is traveling to Toronto on Friday and will "most likely" be activated off the injured list Saturday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 10-Day-ILAlejandro Kirk C — Kirk (thumb) is expected to begin hitting this weekend, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMax Scherzer SP — Scherzer was given a cortisone shot in his injured right forearm and will be shut down from throwing for five days, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- Day-To-DayTJ Nichols P — Double-A Montgomery placed Nichols on its 7-day injured list April 7 due to an unspecified injury.
- Day-To-DayTre' Morgan 1B — Triple-A Durham activated Morgan (quadricep) from its 7-day injured list Tuesday.
- Day-To-DayAlfredo Zarraga RP — no
- Day-To-DayKeyshawn Askew RP
- Day-To-DayAustin Vernon RP — The Rays have shut Vernon down from throwing due to right elbow soreness, per MLB.com.
- Day-To-DayTy Johnson SP
- Day-To-DayJohn Rooney RP — The Rays signed Rooney (elbow) to a minor-league contract Nov. 15.
- Day-To-DayLogan Driscoll C — The Rays released Driscoll (ankle) on Friday, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
For the Jays, this is about not letting a road series in Tampa become the moment the AL East starts to feel a little tight. The market thinks the Rays close it out — total sits at 7.5 with the over juiced slightly — and the bet handle is split closer to even than the public bets, which is usually the sharper read on a McClanahan day game.
First pitch is early afternoon at the Trop. Sweep watch is on.