Diamondbacks at Rays
Tommy Pham checked off another milestone in his career during the series opener and looks to follow that up with another big effort when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. Pham’s first career grand slam blew the game wide open Monday and the American League East-leading Rays went on to post a 12-1 victory - their eighth in the last 12 outings.
“He’s a huge presence in our lineup,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash told reporters of Pham, who is batting .302 with five blasts. “We have a lot of good hitters and Tommy (has) that pro hitter approach. He can do damage with base hits, with a high average, hitting balls into gaps, knocking them out of the ballpark. He really works pitchers and draws walks. He does everything.” Ryne Stanek is slated to open the game for the Rays on Tuesday and Jalen Beeks could follow him on the mound while Arizona goes with Taylor Clarke, who is scheduled to make his first major league start. The Diamondbacks had won four of five games and scored 26 times in the last three before reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell along with two relievers held them to a pair of hits and one unearned run. Arizona’s Eduardo Escobar went 0-for-2 with a walk in the series opener, but is batting .380 with 12 RBIs in his last 14 road games and has recorded three hits in five of his past 12 contests.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Taylor Clarke (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Rays RH Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.81)
Clarke is expected to get the call for his second major league appearance after getting the save by allowing one hit in three scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs on April 20. The 25-year-old Virginia native, who was picked in the third round of the 2015 draft, is 3-1 with a 6.12 ERA in five starts with Triple-A Reno this season. Clarke was 13-8 with a 4.03 ERA in 27 starts with Reno in 2018 and is 40-27 during his five seasons in the minor leagues.
Stanek had been dominant in the “opener” role for the Rays before giving up three runs on three hits and a walk in the first inning of a 3-2 loss at Kansas City last Wednesday. The 27-year-old former first-round pick did not give up a run in his first seven starts this season, allowing a total of four hits and one walk with 12 strikeouts across 10 2/3 innings. Adam Jones is 1-for-4 with a homer against Stanek, who faces Arizona for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay INF Brandon Lowe has hit safely in a career-high 10 games, going 14-for-39 during that stretch.
2. Arizona 1B Christian Walker went 0-for-3 in Monday’s contest, but is still batting .392 on the road with six of his seven homers.
3. The Rays traded RHP Wilmer Font to the New York Mets on Monday for a player to be named later and cash considerations.