Rays beat Tigers 4-1 in Detroit
Jonathan Aranda's home run and six strong innings from Drew Rasmussen carried the Rays past Detroit 4-1, their second straight win after a 2-3 stretch over the last five games.
Aranda's homer backs Rasmussen in Detroit
Tigers4-1On August 24, the Rays beat the Tigers 4-1 in Detroit. Jonathan Aranda went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, Drew Rasmussen allowed one run on three hits over six innings with five strikeouts and no walks, and Manuel Rodríguez worked a scoreless inning with three strikeouts.
The win was Tampa Bay's second straight after going 2-3 over its last five games, having dropped consecutive decisions to Toronto and Baltimore before taking two in a row from the Orioles and then Detroit. It also kept the Rays 3.5 games clear of the Yankees, whose elimination number sits at 29, and 6 games up on the Red Sox, whose elimination number is 26.
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Reliever Manuel Rodríguez was activated from Tampa Bay's injured list on August 22, more than a year after elbow surgery, according to MLB Trade Rumors. Two days later he pitched a scoreless inning against Detroit, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three.
The bullpen shuffling continued around him: MLB Trade Rumors reported the Rays designated Chris Roycroft for assignment on August 23, and had already designated Trevor Martin for assignment on August 13. The rotation also has help working its way back — Griffin Jax, on the 15-day IL, struck out two over three innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Durham on Sunday, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks.
Upcoming
The Rays are in Detroit tonight, with Casey Legumina (2-2, 3.99 ERA) starting opposite the Tigers' Jackson Jobe (1-1, 4.50 ERA). Jobe's last outing came against Pittsburgh on August 19, when he allowed one run over 5.1 innings with three strikeouts and three walks in a no-decision; Legumina threw just 13 pitches over 1.1 innings against Seattle on August 8, also a no-decision.
The market favors Tampa Bay, and the total points to a low-scoring game, a read that fits two starters still working in short bursts. For that number to hold, the Rays' lineup will need to scratch out enough against Jobe, and a bullpen that now includes Rodríguez will need to hold whatever it gets.