Gameday Preview: Drew Rasmussen Takes On Tigers in Series Finale Wednesday Afternoon
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It matinee Wednesday for the Tampa Bay Rays, as they look to take the three-game series from Detroit in a 1:10 p.m. ET game at Tropicana Field.
Drew Rasmussen, who's been fabulous in his last four starts, gets the ball for Tampa Bay.
He is 3-1 on the season with a 2.67 earned run average, but the Rays have won in six of his seven starts. In the last four starts, he's 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA. He had a combined 17 strikeouts the first three games, and had only one of Friday against Toronto, but got a lot of soft contact and allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings. He left with the score tied, but the Rays won 5-2.
He's been that good.
"I thought I did a really good job of staying off their barrels,'' Rasmussen said of the win against the Blue Jays. "I had to rely on the defense a lot, but they picked me up. The strikeouts are a selfish thing. It's always nice to strike out people, but the ultimate goal is to give our team a chance to win. I've been doing that, and I feel good about it.''
The teams have split the first two games in the series. The Rays are off on Thursday, and then travel to Baltimore for a three-game series with the Orioles this weekend.
Here's how to watch Wednesday night's game, with gametime and TV information, the starting lineups, bios and, of course, our great daily dose of newsy nuggets.
How to watch Tigers at Rays
- Who: Detroit Tigers (13-24) at Tampa Bay Rays (22-15)
- When: 1:10 p.m. ET, Wednesday, May 18
- Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.
- TV: Bally Sports Sun
- Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE
- Announcers: Dewayne Staats (play-by-play), Brian Anderson (color commentary) and Tricia Whitaker (reporter).
- Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM; SiriusXM Channel 176
- Announcers: Andy Freed and Dave Wills.
- Latest line: Tampa Bay is favored at minus-188 on the money line according to the SISportsbook.com website opening line as of Wednesday afternoon. The Tigers are plus-155. The over/under is 6.5.
Tigers-Rays history
- Tigers vs. Rays all-time series history: This has been a very even series through the years, with the Tigers holding an 83-81 edge since that very first game in 1998. The Rays do hold the edge at Tropicana Field, with a 44-40 record. Detroit won the season series 4-3 last year, splitting the four games in St. Petersburg, and the series is tied 1-1 this season The two teams play four games in Detroit from Aug. 4 through Aug. 7.
Tigers-Rays most recent games
- Rays 8, Tigers 1: Tampa Bay outfielders Kevin Kiermaier, Brett Phillips and Randy Arozarena all homered and Shane McClanahan was special on the mound once again in the Rays' 8-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. The outfielders were a combined 5-for-10 with six RBIs. For the full story, CLICK HERE
Projected starting pitchers
- Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez: Eduardo Rodriguez is in his first year with Detroit after six years with the Boston Red Sox. He's made seven starts so far this season, with a 1-2 record and a 3.72 earned run average. He's been very good lately. In his last two starts, he threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings last Friday in Baltimore and allowed just one run a week earlier against Houston.
- Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen: Drew Rasmussen has been very good lately. The right-hander is 3-0 in his last four starts, allowing just three earned runs in 21 2/3 innings, a 1.25 ERA. For the season, he is 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA.
Projected lineups
- Tigers lineup: Robbie Grossman RF, Willi Castro LF, Javier Baez SS, Jeimer Candelario DH, Jonathan Schoop 2B, Harold Castro 3B, Spencer Torkelson 1B, Tucker Barnhardt C, Derek Hill CF, Eduardo Rodriguez P.
- Rays lineup: Yandy Diaz 1B, Wander Franco SS, Harold Ramirez DH, Randy Arozarena LF, Francisco Mejia C, Isaac Paredes 3B, Vidal Brujan RF, Taylor Walls 2B, Brett Phillips CF, Drew Rasmussen P.
Newsy nuggets
- 1. Sanders sent to Durham: The Rays have reinstated right-handed reliever Phoenix Sanders (low back spasms) from the 15-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Durham. Sanders, who made five appearances for the Rays and allowed just two earned runs over 10 innings, tweaked his back on a quick throw to first during a game in Oakland on May 2.
- 2. Rubber game success: The Rays are 4-1 in rubber games this season, with wins over the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays are 6-2 in their last eight series and, at 22-15, are seven games over .500. They've been to eight games over .500 once this season, and can tie that mark again on Wednesday with a victory.
- 3. The defense rests: Now that the Rays have won a game in this series, a streak of more than two years continues. Tampa Bay hasn't been swept at home — regardless of series length — since April 19-21, 2019 against the Boston Red Sox. It's the longest active streak in the majors.
- 4. Outfielders' homer barrage: On Tuesday night against Detroit, Tampa Bay outfielders Randy Arozarena, Kevin Kiermaier and Brett Phillips all hit home runs. It marked the fifth time in club history that all three starting outfielders homered in the same time. It's happened four times in the past five after happening only once in the first 20 years of franchise history.
Drew Rasmussen photo gallery
Drew Rasmussen
Jul 24, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) reacts after allowing a home run against the Cleveland Indians in the second inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 6, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) delivers a pitch in the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 12, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 12, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2021; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2021; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) forces out Baltimore Orioles shortstop Ramon Urias (29) during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2021; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 24, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 29, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) waits for the ball against the Houston Astros in the second inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) is removed from the game by manager Kevin Cash (16) during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox in game three of the 2021 ALDS at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Brew is the publisher of Inside The Rays, and has been with the Sports Illustrated/FanNation network for three years. He is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his four-decade career at the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has written four books.