Within the absence of considered one of their greatest stars — Wander Franco, who’s on administrative go away — the Tampa Bay Rays are nonetheless performing nicely due largely to Yandy Diaz.
The Rays will play the center recreation of a three-game collection towards the New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Diaz probably will lead the cost once more.
Diaz, the membership’s leadoff hitter, leads the American League in batting common (.326) and three-hit video games (16). He’s second in on-base share (.403) and on-base-plus-slugging share (.910), behind solely Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani in each classes.
In 111 video games this yr, Diaz has 44 multi-hit performances.
Within the Rays‘ 6-2 loss to the Yankees on Friday, Tampa Bay managed simply 4 hits, however Diaz supplied the spotlight with a 109.4 mph laser for his third August homer.
Diaz collected 5 hits, a number of in key moments, within the Rays‘ three-game collection sweep of the Colorado earlier this week.
“We have been lucky in that when it looks like we want a giant hit, Yandy is both up or he is arising quickly,” Tampa Bay supervisor Kevin Money mentioned. “It does look like he comes by way of most of the time.”
Diaz’s Friday blast was nearly all of the Rays might muster towards Gerrit Cole, who outdueled Zach Eflin in a matchup of top-tier AL pitchers.
Cole fanned 11 — his fifth time in double figures this yr — and didn’t stroll a batter in 7 2/3 innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) and lowered his AL-best ERA to 2.95.
“That is what he does — he is received nice stuff, elite command when he is on like tonight,” Money mentioned. “We noticed two of the very best pitchers within the American League going at the moment, and so they form of went toe to toe.”
Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned he thinks Cole is within the Cy Younger Award dialog.
“Oh yeah, he is having that form of season,” mentioned Boone, whose membership is 45-19 when scoring first. “Nonetheless a methods to go, however he is in the course of a very particular season.”
New York’s DJ LeMahieu went deep twice in his first multi-homer recreation since Could 7, 2021.
On Saturday, Clarke Schmidt (8-7, 4.68 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees. The appropriate-hander is 1-1 with a 6.38 ERA in 4 begins this month, having allowed 13 runs in 18 1/3 innings. He had gained six consecutive choices earlier than logging a loss and a no-decision in his previous two outings, respectively.
In seven profession appearances, three begins, towards Tampa Bay, Schmidt is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA. The Rays beat him on Could 14 in New York, when he yielded seven runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Tampa Bay’s Saturday starter, Tyler Glasnow (6-4, 3.35), will look to rebound from a tough outing final Saturday within the first recreation of a doubleheader towards the host Angels.
The 6-foot-8 right-hander surrendered seven runs (5 earned) and eight hits in six innings throughout a 7-6 defeat.
In eight profession begins towards the Yankees, Glasnow is 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA. He posted a victory at New York on July 31 after giving up a run on three hits in seven innings because the Rays prevailed 5-1.
—Subject Degree Media
