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Tampa Bay Rays at Philadelphia Phillies

By JR·2 min read
Tampa Bay RaysTB(96-63)
Philadelphia PhilliesPHI(87-72)
AT
6:40 PM ET

TLDR: The Rays have the AL's top seed locked up and are coming to Philadelphia to get their pitchers some work. The Phillies still have a playoff push to finish, and a 2-game skid they need to end first.

FRI SEP 25, 6:40 PM
Spread
WIN
Total
Rays
(96-63)
LLWLW
Phillies
(87-72)
LLWWL

Philadelphia sends Cristopher Sánchez out to open a 3-game series against a Rays team that has already clinched the AL's No. 1 seed and is focused on the ALDS. Tampa Bay's Freddy Peralta has been sharp lately, but the Rays' bullpen is short and their incentive to win is low. The Phillies' offense has stalled and Luis Arraez is day-to-day with an ankle sprain. The Phillies are favored, and how much the Rays play their regulars could decide it.

Rays
  • Peralta: 2 ER in last 16.2 innings
  • Changeup-heavy remake since deadline trade
  • Top seed locked, no pressure
  • Resting mode, lineup likely thinned
  • Wells, Cleavinger, Uceta out of bullpen
  • Won just 1 of 4 at Yankee Stadium
Phillies
  • Sánchez 18-6, 2.93 at home
  • Still playing for a postseason spot
  • Facing a Rays depth bullpen late
  • Arraez day-to-day, sprained left ankle
  • 1 run in each of last 2 games
  • Brewers took the series at home

Cristopher Sánchez (18-6, 2.93) opens the 3-game set at Citizens Bank Park at 6:40 PM ET. He's been Philadelphia's most reliable arm all year and has 18 wins to show for it. Tampa Bay counters with Freddy Peralta (9-11, 4.56). That ERA is mostly left over from earlier in the season. Since coming over from the Mets at the deadline, Peralta has changed his arm angle and leaned harder on the changeup, and over his last 3 starts he's allowed 2 runs in 16.2 innings: 1 run in 5.2 against Boston, 5 scoreless against Houston, 1 run over 6 in Atlanta.

Freddy Peralta
Freddy Peralta
(9-11)·4.56 ERA
Sep 19 vs Red Sox
ND
5.2IP
1ER
6K
2BB
97P
09/25 Lineup
Cristopher Sánchez
Cristopher Sánchez
(18-6)·2.93 ERA
Sep 20 @ Mets
W
6.1IP
2ER
6K
0BB
98P
09/25 Lineup

The question for Tampa Bay is how much it cares about this game. At 96-63 the Rays have clinched the AL's top seed, and the talk around the club has turned to resting and getting healthy for the ALDS. Kevin Cash has already said Shane McClanahan (forearm) won't be on that roster. The bullpen is short too: Tyler Wells, Garrett Cleavinger and Edwin Uceta are all on the IL, and Manuel Rodriguez's return is still only expected. The Phillies have their own problem. Luis Arraez, the NL batting leader and chasing a 4th batting title, sprained his left ankle diving back into first against Milwaukee. The X-rays were negative, but he's day-to-day, and he's the bat at the top of this lineup.

On paper the pitching matchup is a mismatch in Philadelphia's favor, and the Phillies are priced like it. What that price doesn't show is how the 2 managers will use their players. One club is playing for a playoff spot. The other is protecting arms for October, and its starter's workload is one of the things it's protecting.

Tampa Bay Rays
(96-63)
09/24L@Yankees4-6
09/23L@Yankees2-9
09/22W@Yankees6-1
09/22L@Yankees0-2
09/20WvsRed Sox5-1
Philadelphia Phillies
(87-72)
09/24LvsBrewers1-5
09/23LvsBrewers1-4
09/22WvsBrewers6-4
09/20W@Mets7-2
09/19L@Mets3-10

Both clubs are on 2-game losing streaks. The Rays won just 1 of 4 in the Bronx and scored 2 and 4 runs in the last 2 losses. The Phillies scored 1 run in each of their last 2 games as Milwaukee took the series in Philadelphia and reached 100 wins. That's 2 runs in 18 innings for a lineup that now might be missing its leadoff-type hitter. Sánchez can keep the Rays in check, but the Phillies still have to score for him.

Tampa Bay Rays
(8)
  • 15-Day-ILShane McClanahan (SP) — McClanahan (forearm) will not be included on the Rays' ALDS roster.09/23
  • 15-Day-ILManuel Rodriguez (RP) — Rodriguez (back) is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list at some point this week.09/22
  • 15-Day-ILGarrett Cleavinger (RP) — Cleavinger (forearm) is expected to resume mound work Saturday.09/19
  • 15-Day-ILTyler Wells (RP) — The Rays placed Wells on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right forearm tightness.09/15
  • 60-Day-ILGavin Lux (LF) — Lux (shoulder) has resumed full baseball activity.09/11
  • 60-Day-ILEdwin Uceta (RP) — Uceta (shoulder) is playing catch from 75 feet, per MLB.com.08/15
  • 60-Day-ILJonathan Heasley (RP) — Heasley was returned to the major-league roster and placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right elbow stress reaction.06/08
  • 60-Day-ILRyan Pepiot (SP) — Pepiot will undergo surgery on his right hip May 13 and miss the rest of the 2026 season.05/08
Philadelphia Phillies
(8)
  • Day-To-DayNewLuis Arraez (2B) — Arraez suffered a sprained left ankle during Thursday's contest against the Brewers.09/24
  • Day-To-DayJonathan Bowlan (RP) — Bowlan was diagnosed with a mild right groin strain Friday.09/18
  • 15-Day-ILNewJesus Luzardo (SP) — Luzardo (shoulder) threw a successful 30-pitch bullpen session Thursday.09/24
  • 60-Day-ILCaleb Kilian (RP) — The Phillies transferred Kilian (oblique) to the 60-day injured list Thursday.09/17
  • 60-Day-ILFelix Reyes (LF) — The Phillies optioned Reyes to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday.08/20
  • 60-Day-ILBrad Keller (RP) — Keller underwent right elbow UCL reconstruction surgery with internal brace and flexor tendon repair Tuesday.07/29
  • 60-Day-ILJohan Rojas (CF) — Rojas (suspension) underwent surgery Friday to repair the UCL in his right elbow and will face an expected recovery timeline of 6-to-8 months.06/25
  • 60-Day-ILAdolis Garcia (RF) — Garcia underwent successful surgery Wednesday to repair a torn right lat.06/24

It's 67 degrees and cloudy with a 12 mph wind at first pitch. That's no problem for 2 pitchers who have been limiting damage lately. For the Phillies this is simple: a team that needs wins at home, with its ace on the mound, against a club already thinking about the ALDS. They've scored 2 runs in their last 2 games, though, so nobody should assume the offense shows up.

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