Rays 6, Tigers 1
Record: 37-23
Attendance: 21,442
Travis d'Arnaud, the newest backup catcher on the Rays, the one the players call "Lil d," carried the team to victory in today's game, hitting a pair of long home runs to the deepest part of center field. He doesn't look like the 6-2 he's listed as in the program, and though he has had 49 home runs over a seven year career (tops was 16 in 2017), his Rays production this year has been spotty.
But that was just fine for the Rays' management and the Rays' fans because he was an emergency pickup to take the place of Mike Zunino and Michael Perez, their full-time catchers who both went on the injured list at the same time. He had to learn everything about a pitching staff and about a new league on the fly. He was what the Rays needed, a warm body to put behind the plate. That was enough for fans to forgive his slow offensive start, 1 for 22 and his .171 batting average.
So it was an eye-opening display of power Lil D put on to single-handedly beat the Tigers, 6-1 with his two two-run homers. Well, he wasn't exactly alone. Willy Adames, who had a pair of hits to raise his BA to .256, hit a solo homer in the eighth, and Austin Meadows, playing left field today, drove in a run with a single in the first. In fact there were 14 hits overall, Yandy Diaz leading the way with a 3 for 5 day.
The pitching remained strong for the second day in a row. Building on yesterday's shutout, today's one run gave the Rays' pitchers a total of one run surrendered in 19 innings. And that run was lucky, a trickler that crept through the left side of the infield. It barely made it to the outfield. Ryne Stanek gave up the run in the first of his two innings. Jalen Beeks took the mound for four and a third innings in the third to pick up (very quietly) his fifth win this season without a loss. In the seventh, eighth, and ninth, came Chaz Roe, Hunter Wood, and Diego Castillo. (Jose Alvarado is unavailable as he has been tending to personal affairs for a few days.)
The Craig Kimbrel story took another frustrating turn as news emerged that the Rays were indeed deeply involved in the bidding, topping out at $39 million over three years. He reportedly signed with the Cubs for $43 million, part of which came from the $9 million saved on ex-Ray Ben Zobrist's salary as he has left the club to manage a messy divorce. Rays' fans are feeling the same frustration and anger at the baseball gods that they experienced when Nelson Cruz chose Minnesota over the Rays last winter. So close. We remain hopeful, however, that someone will shake loose either as a closer or a traditional starter as we approach the July 31 trade deadline. It is still possible that some much needed help can be found for a serious pennant run.
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