TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
BRING OUT THE BROOMS — Yesterday, Tampa Bay completed a three-game sweep of Detroit to open the 2023 season…it marked the fourth time in club history the Rays have swept their first series of a season (also: 2022 vs. BAL, 2012 vs. NYY, 2002 vs. DET) and marked the Rays’ first sweep over the Tigers since 7/9-11, 2018 at Tropicana Field.
SETTING THE TONE — The Rays allowed three runs in the series against the Tigers, their fewest permitted through the first three games of a season in club history (prev. 4 runs in 2022)…the three runs allowed also marked their fewest in a three-game series since 4/1-3, 2019 vs. Colorado (2 runs)…Tampa Bay starters turned in a 0.53 ERA (17.0IP, 1ER) in the series, the rotation’s lowest mark through the first three games of a season in club history (prev. 1.35ERA in 2000).
INTERLEAGUE RUNDOWN — Tampa Bay went 12-8 (.600) in Interleague play last season, including an 8-2 record at home vs. a 4-6 mark on the road…since 2008, the Rays are 171-119 (.590) in Interleague play, the second-best winning percentage in the majors over that stretch behind Boston (.631, 183-107).
EXTRA, EXTRA — Tampa Bay has recorded 13 extra-base hits to open the season, matching the 2000, 2009 and 2012 Rays for the club’s most extra-base hits in the first three games of a season…the 2023 club has also churned out nine doubles, matching the 2000 squad for most two-baggers within the team’s first three games…Wander Franco paces Tampa Bay with four extra-base hits (3 2B, HR) while Josh Lowe is tied with Franco for the team lead in doubles.
VS. WASHINGTON — The Rays last met the Nationals in 2021…the clubs split a two-game series at Tropicana Field from 6/8-9 before Washington swept a two-game set at Nationals Park from 6/29-30…overall, Tampa Bay is 17-20 (.459) against Montreal/Washington, including a 12-13 (.480) record vs. the Nationals dating to 6/30/06…the two teams will meet just once this season, as MLB’s new balanced schedule calls for each club to face all other 29 teams for at least one series, with the total number of Interleague games per club jumping from 20 to 46.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN — Since 2018, Tampa Bay is 190-165 (.535) on the road, the fourth-best winning percentage in the American League during that timeframe…the 2022 Rays went 35-46 (.432) away from home, including an eight-game winning streak from 4/19-5/7 and a five-game losing skid to end the regular season from 10/1-5.
PITCHERS’ PARADISE — The 2022 Rays pitched to a 3.41 ERA, fourth in the majors behind Los Angeles-NL (2.80), Houston (2.90) and New York-AL (3.30), and second in club history behind the 2012 Rays (3.19)…Tampa Bay finished among the majors’ top 10 in ERA for a sixth-straight season and among the majors’ top five for a fourth-straight season.
SUSTAINED SUCCESS — Tampa Bay has reached the postseason in a franchise-best four straight seasons and in eight of the last 15 seasons since 2008…only four other clubs have reached the postseason as often since 2008: Los Angeles-NL (12), New York-AL (11), St. Louis (10) and Atlanta (8)…the Rays are one of three AL teams (Astros, Yankees) and one of six in the majors (Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers) to make the postseason in each of the last four seasons (2019-22).
REBRANDING — Since becoming the Rays in 2008, the club owns the fourth-best record in baseball at 1,270-1,062 (.545), including two World Series appearances (2020, 2008)… this success comes after the Devil Rays amassed the majors’ worst record at 645-972 (.399) over the club’s first decade of existence (1998-2007).
MANAGER — Kevin Cash enters his ninth season as the manager of the Rays…his career 643-554 (.537) record is the best winning percentage of any manager in club history… he is 111 wins shy of matching Joe Madden for the most managerial wins in franchise history…Cash is the second-longest-tenured manager with his current team behind Cleveland’s Terry Francona (11th season)…three other current managers are former members of his coaching staff: Rocco Baldelli (Twins), Derek Shelton (Pirates) and Matt Quatraro (Royals).
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP DREW RASMUSSEN
RAS EFFECT — Entering his sixth year in the big leagues overall, Rasmussen is coming off a career year in his first season as a regular member of the Rays rotation…went 11-7 with a 2.84 ERA (146.0IP, 46ER) over 28 starts, holding opponents to a .222 average (121-for-545)…was originally acquired by the Rays along with RHP J.P. Feyereisen on 5/21/21 in exchange for SS Willy Adames and RHP Trevor Richards.
RAMPING UP — In three Grapefruit League starts, recorded a 2-0 mark to go with a 2.79 ERA (9.2IP, 3ER)…after being tagged for three runs in 1.2 innings in his opening start, Rasmussen did not allow an earned run over his next two outings (8.0IP), striking out five batters against one walk in those games.
2022 RECAP — In his first full season in the majors, Rasmussen ranked second on the club in wins (11) and tied for second in starts (28)…he yielded three or fewer runs in 24 of those starts, including two or fewer runs 20 times…his 2.84 ERA ranked 10th in the AL (min. 100.0IP)
Went 6-4 with a 2.45 ERA (73.1IP, 20ER) in 13 post-All-Star break starts, ranking among AL leaders (min. 60.0IP) in second-half ERA (8th), opponents’ OPS (4th, .568), WHIP (5th, 0.93) and SO/BB ratio (7th, 6.30).
On 8/14 vs. Baltimore, retired his first 24 batters faced, carrying a perfect game into the ninth inning that was broken up by Jorge Mateo (double) on the first pitch of the frame…marked the longest perfect game bid in Rays history.
Struck out a career-high 10 batters on 9/9 at New York-AL, becoming the first pitcher in club history with 10+ strikeouts and zero walks at Yankee Stadium.
Made his third career postseason appearance in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card at Cleveland, retiring all five batters he faced in relief.
IN THE CAPITAL — Rasmussen is set to make his second career start opposite Washington…he made his first start with the Rays on 6/30/21 at Nationals Park as an opener (2.0IP, 2H, 2ER, BB, 2SO).
EAST FEATS — In 10 appearances (four starts) against NL East clubs, Rasmussen is 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA (27.1IP, 8ER) and 30 strikeouts…NL East batters are slashing .204/.257/.296 (20-for-98) against him in his career.
Last season, he made a pair of appearances against the division, both of which came in Tampa Bay wins over Miami (5/25 & 8/31)… allowed four earned runs in 11.0 innings (3.27 ERA) between the two starts, fanning 11 while walking a pair.
TAKING HOME THE HARDWARE — In August 2022, Rasmussen earned his first career AL Pitcher of the Month award after going 3-1 with a 1.57 ERA (34.1IP, 6ER) and 33 strikeouts in six starts…became the first Rays pitcher to win a monthly honor since Rich Hill in May 2021.
GOING STREAKING — Rasmussen won five straight decisions from 4/27- 5/25, 2022, producing a 1.71 ERA (31.2IP, 6ER) in six starts over that stretch… from 4/27-5/18, he tossed at least 5.0 IP with one or zero runs allowed in five consecutive starts, matching Chris Archer (5/17-6/7, 2015) and Scott Kazmir (5/10-31, 2008) for the longest such streak in club history…Shane McClanahan tied the same record later in the season (6/20-7/13).
CUT AND DRY — After adding his a cutter to his arsenal during the offseason, Rasmussen utilized the offering 32.8 pct. of the time in 2022, the ninth-highest rate in MLB (min. 1,500 total pitches)…per Baseball Savant, the pitch produced a 30.0 pct. whiff rate, second-best in the majors on any pitcher’s cutter behind HOU Luis Garcia (42.8%) (min. 700 cutters thrown).
THE RAY WAY — Over the first 27 games (10 starts) of his career with Milwaukee, Rasmussen went 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA (32.1IP, 18ER)…the righthander has established himself at the MLB level since being acquired by Tampa Bay midway through the 2021 season, pitching to a 15-7 mark with a 2.72 ERA (205.0IP, 62ER) across 48 appearances (38 starts) as a Ray.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
RETURN OF THE MACK
The Washington Nationals won their first game of the season on Sunday afternoon, beating the Atlanta Braves, 4-1…MacKenzie Gore earned the win, tossing 5.1 innings of three-hit, one-run ball with six strikeouts along the way…The Nationals plated all four runs in the first inning.
• Hunter Harvey (Hold, 0.2 IP), Erasmo Ramirez (Hold, 1.0 IP, H), Carl Edwards Jr. (Hold, 1.0 IP, BB) and Kyle Finnegan (Save, 1.0 IP) combined to toss 3.2 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief.
• The Nationals continue this opening homestand with a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays starting Monday night…It will be the Rays’ first three-game series in Washington since 2012…Tampa Bay played two-game series in the nation’s capital in 2021, 2020, 2018 and 2015.
LANE TRAIN
Lane Thomas is 5-for-12 (.417) with one double and one run scored through three games this season…He’s hit safely in all three games with multi-hit efforts on Saturday and Sunday against Atlanta.
RAKIN’ RUIZ
Keibert Ruiz is 4-for-10 (.400) with a double, homer, two RBI, two walks and one run scored across the first three games…He’s reached base safely in six of 12 plate appearances (.500 OBP).
• Ruiz clubbed his first home run of the season on Saturday, a solo shot in the ninth inning that landed in the third deck in right field.
NOTHING BUT A NUMBER
The Nationals are one of six teams with at least three players in the top 50 youngest players in Major League Baseball to start the season…The Arizona Diamondbacks (5), St. Louis Cardinals (5), Detroit Tigers (3), Pittsburgh Pirates (3) and Seattle Mariners (3) also have three players in the top 50.
• CJ Abrams (22) is the third-youngest player in Major League Baseball, while Luis Garcia (23) is 15th and Keibert Ruiz (24) is 50th.
ROSTER MOVE
The Nationals recalled outfielder Stone Garrett from Triple-A Rochester and placed outfielder Corey Dickerson on the 10-day Injured List with a left calf strain on Sunday.
• Garrett went 4-for-8 with two RBI, one stolen base and two runs scored in two games with Triple-A Rochester to start the 2023 season…He recorded three hits and two RBI on Opening Day, March 31 vs. Lehigh Valley (PHI).
• He hit .276 with eight doubles, four homers, 10 RBI, three walks, three stolen bases and 13 runs scored in 27 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022…At the time of his promotion, Garrett ranked among all Minor Leaguers in RBI (T2nd, 96), home runs (T4th, 28), extra-base hits (T6th, 54) and total bases (10th, 221).
THEODORE N. LERNER
The Nationals inducted Founding Managing Principal Owner Theodore N. Lerner into the Nationals Ring of Honor in a special Opening Day pregame ceremony…Mr. Lerner’s name will be displayed behind home plate, below the owner’s suite.
• Created in 2010, the Ring of Honor pays tribute to some of the most elite and influential members of the Washington Nationals, Washington Senators, Homestead Grays and Montreal Expos organizations…Ring of Honor names are displayed behind home plate, extending to the right field façade.
• In addition, Nationals players and coaches will wear a dedicated patch on their home and away jersey sleeves in remembrance of Mr. Lerner this season.
• The oval patch features three stars above Mr. Lerner’s initials in a classic font…The three stars represent the DMV.
TODAY’S STARTING PTICHER – #32 TREVOR WILLIAMS
Veteran right-hander signed a two-year contract with the Nationals in Dec. 2022…From 2018-21, Williams was exclusively a starter, but he transitioned to a versatile swingman in 2021 and 2022… He is 35-41 with a 4.33 ERA in 118 career starts and 3-3 with a 3.84 ERA in 41 relief outings…Was a second-round pick of the Miami Marlins in 2013 but was traded to Pittsburgh in 2015 while pitching in the Arizona Fall League.
VS. TAMPA BAY
Faces the Rays for the second time and first time since June 27, 2017 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates…Allowed two earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and zero walks in 7.0 innings pitched in that start.
2023 SPRING TRAINING
Went 2-1 with a 4.43 ERA in six Spring Training starts…Started the Exhibition game vs. New York (AL) on March 28.
• Allowed just one earned run on five hits in his final two starts of Spring Training (10.0 IP). 2022 In his second season with the Mets, went 3-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 30 games (nine starts)…Went 2-4 with a 4.19 ERA in nine starts and 1-1 with one save and a 2.47 ERA in 21 relief appearances…Tossed a career-high and team-best 25.1 consecutive scoreless innings from July 7 to Sept. 4…Was tied for the sixth-longest streak in MLB (4th in NL) in 2022… He went 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA in 13 games (three starts) against the NL East Recorded his first career save on July 14 at Chicago (NL), pitching the final three innings (3 H, 4 SO) of the 8-0 win…2022 Pitch Mix: 4-Seam Fastball (52.8%) Changeup (13.1%) Sinker (12.6%) Slider (11.7%) Curveball (9.7%).
2021
Began the season with the Cubs before being acquired along with shortstop Javier Báez…Posted a 3.06 ERA in 10 appearances (three starts) with the Mets… Did not surrender a home run in his first eight games with the Mets, becoming the ninth pitcher in franchise history to accomplish that feat (min. 20.0 IP).
2018
Put together the best season of his career, finishing seventh in the National League in ERA…Was the only pitcher to make 10 starts of at least 6.0 innings without allowing a run (Justin Verlander, 2nd with 9)…His 1.38 ERA after the All-Star break was second-lowest among all starting pitchers behind Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell (1.17)…Recorded a then-career-high 21.0 scoreless innings streak from July 11 to Aug. 5 and a 20.2 scoreless innings streak from Aug. 22 to Sept. 10…Was credited with his first career shutout in a rain-shortened 7-0 win at Cleveland on July 23 (6.0 IP).
2017
Made his first career Opening Day roster and took part in his first full Major League season…Ranked third among National League pitchers (min. 150.0 IP) with 0.84 HR/9.0 innings…Ranked first in ERA (4.07), fourth in innings (150.1) and fourth in strikeouts (117) among National League rookies with at least 100.0 innings…Threw a career-high 114 pitches in a career-high 8.0 scoreless innings on August 23 vs. Los Angeles (NL)…Faced off against Rich Hill, who took a perfect game into the ninth inning and lost his no-hit bid on Josh Harrison’s walk-off homer in the 10th inning.
2016
Made his Major League debut on Sept. 7 vs. St. Louis…Earned the win after allowing one run (unearned) in 3.0 innings of relief…Was the MVP of Triple-A Indianapolis after going 9-6 with a 2.53 ERA in 20 games (19 starts).
