It’s not too early into the season for the Tampa Bay Rays to sense something special brewing.
“I think it doesn’t stop,” Rays first baseman Luke Raley said. “It’s a really special team.”
Perhaps the first 4-0 start in franchise history has something to do with that sentiment. Tampa Bay goes for five straight when it plays the second game of a three-game series against the host Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Pitching has given the Rays their biggest edge, as the team has allowed a total of five runs. Tampa Bay’s starting pitchers own a combined 0.39 ERA.
“I’m glad I’m a Ray,” Raley said of the pitching. “They’re amazing. I’m glad I’m on this team.”
The Nationals haven’t displayed much offense, posting a total of nine runs in four games.
The Rays won Monday night’s series opener 6-2 behind two home runs from Raley and a long ball from Isaac Paredes.
Next up on the mound for Tampa Bay is left-hander Josh Fleming, who secured the last spot in the rotation in a tight spring training competition. This will be the fourth big-league season for Fleming, who was 2-5 with a 6.43 ERA last year.
Fleming will take his first step in trying to make amends for an erratic 2022 that included multiple stints in the minor leagues.
“I feel I can go out there and face anyone,” he said.
Fleming’s fifth career outing in 2020 came against the Nationals. He threw 3 2/3 shutout innings in relief but ended up with a no-decision in Washington’s eventual 4-2 road victory.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said Fleming earned the spot in the rotation, calling him “a guy that really competes.”
The Nationals will need a better approach and perhaps more patience than they displayed in the series opener. They struck out eight times and drew just one walk against four Rays pitchers.
“We chased way too much,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “We were chasing way too many pitches. We went completely backwards on chasing. The other day we didn’t chase, and (Monday night) we chased.”
The Nationals will send right-hander Chad Kuhl to the mound in his Washington debut after he spent five seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and last year with the Colorado Rockies. He went 6-11 with a 5.72 ERA in 27 starts for Colorado.
In 127 career outings, including 111 starts, Kuhl has never encountered the Rays.
The Nationals already are juggling their lineup after left fielder Corey Dickerson went on the injured list due to a calf strain.
Martinez opted to use infielder Ildemaro Vargas in left field Monday night, just his second career start in the outfield.
“It’s just about getting Vargas out there and getting him some at-bats,” Martinez said. “I want to get Stone (Garrett) out there one of these days here as well. But I envision Alex (Call) getting a lot of playing time.”
Either Garrett or Call figures to be in Tuesday’s lineup. Meanwhile, Vargas likes to showcase his versatility.
“A challenge for my career, just to show I can play other positions,” Vargas said. “The way the game is nowadays, the more positions I’m able to play and help the team out with, I think I make myself more valuable.”
–Field Level Media
