Gameday Preview: Wednesday's Rays-Mariners TV Information, Lineups, Pregame Nuggets

Drew Rasmussen is back on the mound for the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, taking on the Seattle Mariners, the team he grew up cheering for in Spokane, Wash. Here's how to watch, with TV information, starting lineups and the usual newsy nuggets.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Drew Rasmussen grew up as a Seattle Mariners fans as a kid in Spokane, Wash., and he gets to pitch against his boyhood team on Wednesday night when the Tampa Bay Rays and the Mariners get together for the second straight night.

Seattle took the opener in the three-game series, winning 8-4 on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. So now they'll turn to Rasmussen, who's been OK so far, simply a victim of a bad pitch or two during his three starts. He's 0-1 with a 5.25 ERA.

He threw 79 pitches in just three innings against the Cubs, and he knows that can't happen.

“I was a little frustrated. The pitch count got out of control for a couple of innings, and I didn’t get as deep into the game as I wanted,'' Rasmussen said Tuesday. "It’s just how it goes from time to time. I’m just going to keep attacking the strike zone and get ahead of hitters and put them away a little quicker.

“Physically I feel good, and I’m excited to get back out there. I just need to execute a hair better. It’s still early and we’re doing alright. I think we’re in a good spot right now.’’

He's excited for facing the Mariners, with folks back at home being able to watch on TV. The Rays play the Mariners in Seattle from May 5 through May 8,.

“It’s always fun for friends and family to get to watch, and it’s always cool to pitch against the. Team you grew up watching. Out there, we’re already getting tickets for out there because we’ll have a lot of people there once we’re back in the Northwest.’’

Catcher Rene Pinto, who made his major-league debut on Tuesday night, will catch Rasmussen on Wednesday.

Here's how to watch Wednesday's game, with gametime, lineups, bios and the usual great newsy nuggets.

How to watch Mariners at Rays

• Who: Seattle Mariners (11-6) at Tampa Bay Rays (9-8)
• When: 6:40 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 27
• 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 (in-game reporter).
• Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM; SiriusXM Channel 175
• Announcers: Andy Freed and Dave Wills.
• Latest Line: Tampa Bay is favored at minus-143 on the money line according to the SISportsbook.com website opening line as of Tuesday morning. The Mariners are plus-120. The over/under is 7.5.

Rays-Mariners history

• Rays vs. Mariners all-time series history: Tampa Bay is just 80-108 all-time against the Mariners, a .427 winning percentage. They have a losing record at Tropicana Field as well, going just 39-21 since 1998. They have never met in the postseason. Last year, the Mariners went 6-1 against the Rays, sweeping a four-game series on June in Seattle, and then winning two of three games in St. Petersburg in August. The Mariners were the only team the Rays didn't beat at least twice last season. Seattle leads the season series 1-0. 

Rays-Mariners most recent games

• Mariners 8, Rays 4: Tampa Bay gave up seven unearned runs in this fourth inning and lost 8-4 to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Logan Gilbert, who leads the American League in ERA, pitched 5 2/3 scoring innings and left with an 8-0 lead. Rays catcher Rene Pinto got his first MLB hit, a two-run home run to right. Wander Franco also homered, his fourth of the year. For the complete game story, CLICK HERE

Projected starting pitchers

• Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales: Marco Gonzales is making his fourth start for Seattle. He is 1-1 with a 3.29 earned run average and has been in a couple of weird games so far. Twice he has given up six runs in a game, but only two were earned each time. His one win was April 15, when the Mariners beat Houston 11-1. He pitched seven innings and gave up just one run and four hits. Gonzales is 30 years old, and is from Fort Collins, Colo.
• Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen: Drew Rasmussen is making his fourth start as well. He is 0-1 with a 5.25 ERA. he's pitched 12 innings total in his three starts, and the Rays have won two of the three games he started, against Baltimore on April 9, and last week against the Chicago Cubs. He lasted only three innings in the cold at Wrigley Field, throwing 79 pitches, and the Rays won 8-2 in a game called by rain in the sixth inning.

Projected lineups

• Mariners lineup: Pending.
• Rays lineup: Randy Arozarena LF, Wander Franco SS, Harold Ramirez DH, Yandy Diaz 1B, Brandon Lowe 2B, Manuel Margot RF, Tyler Walls 3B, Kevin Kiermaier CF, Rene Pinto C, Drew Rasmussen P.

Newsy nuggets

• Nugget No. 1: The Rays have lost five straight series openers this season after opening the season with a victory against the Baltimore Orioles. They lost to Oakland 13-2, the Chicago White Sox 3-2, the Cubs 4-2, lost at home last Friday to Boston 4-3 and then lost 8-4 to Seattle on Tuesday night. They've been outscored 32-13 in the five losses.
• Nugget No. 2: The Rays made three errors last night. That's the most they've made in a game all season. They have made 12 errors on the season, which have led to 17 unearned runs, the most in the majors by far. Arizona has 14. 
• Nugget No. 3: The Rays have a 3.28 ERA this season, eighth in the majors. They have a 2.68 ERA in their last 10 games and a 2.14 ERA in their last five games. Tampa Bay has yielded three runs or fewer nine times this season, tied for fourth in the American League behind the Toronto Blue Jays (11), New York Yankees (11) and Los Angeles Angels (10).
• Nugget No. 4: Since the start of last season, the Rays have gone 1-7 against the Mariners and 108-63 against all other opponents. Over that stretch, the Rays have been outscored 46-25, outhit 54-46 and have made eight errors in eight games while batting .140 (6-for-43) with runners in scoring position. The two clubs will meet seven times this season, all within a stretch of 13 days.