PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:…Were off yesterday…Have won 10 of their last 12 games, outscoring their opponents by 53 runs (90-37) during the stretch…Won seven straight games from 4/17-23, their longest winning streak since 2018 (11 games)…Have not lost back-to-back games since dropping the final two contests of their season-opening series in Cincinnati…Their 20-9 record is their best start since the 1992 team had a 21-8 record after the first 29 games.
SETTING UP THE SERIES: The Pirates bring a National-League best 20-9 record into their series tonight against the frontrunning Tampa Bay Rays of the American League…Pittsburgh ended the first month of the season with a 1.5 game lead in the National League Central over the Milwaukee Brewers…It’s the first time the Pirates have been in first place at the end of April since the 1992 team had a 3.0 game lead in the National League East over the Mets.
SERIESLY SPEAKING: Pittsburgh has won each of its last four series since splitting four games against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium from April 13-16…It’s the first time the Bucs have won four consecutive series since July 9-25, 2018… The Pirates split their next two series from July 26 to August 1 that season.
WINNING STARTS HERE: The Pirates have recorded a Major-League leading 18 quality starts in 2023 (the Blue Jays are second with fifteen)…Since April 11, Pittsburgh’s starting rotation also has the best ERA (2.66) in all of MLB…The Braves rank second in that time (2.84 ERA).
ABOUT TONIGHT’S STARTER: Roansy Contreras will start tonight’s game following 6.0 scoreless innings of work in his last outing against the Dodgers on April 26 at PNC Park… Contreras has the eighth-lowest ERA (1.45) among all National League pitchers beginning with his start on April 15 (teammate Vince Velasquez’ 1.42 ERA is tied for the sixth-lowest in the National League).
REYNOLDS ROLLING AGAIN: Bryan Reynolds has knocked in a run in each of his last six games after also doing so in six straight games from April 2-8 (he’s the only player in MLB with two separate streaks of six straight games with an RBI this year)…Reynolds has also recorded an extra base hit in each of his last four games, which is the second-longest extra base hit streak by a Pirate this year (he had an extra base hit in five straight games from April 2-7).
HANDLING THE HOT CORNER: Ke’Bryan Hayes was named Sports Info Solution’s MLB Defensive Player-of-the-Month for April…Hayes led all third basemen with 6 Defensive Runs Saved through the end of April according to Sports Info Solutions (no other third baseman had more than 3 Runs Saved)…Since the start of 2021, Hayes’ 46 Defensive Runs Saved are the most of any player…Hayes also has the most Runs Saved of any third baseman since his debut in the 2020 season (50).
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE: The Pirates have the best run differential (+48) among all National League teams… The only two teams in MLB with better run differentials are the Rays (+103) and Rangers (+72).
THIS AND THAT: Andrew McCutchen is a .351 career hitter (26-for-74) against the Rays…Jack Suwinski’s 443-foot home run off Jalen Beeks here at Tropicana Field last season on June 25 was the longest by a Pirate in 2022…Carlos Santana is 12-for-42 with four doubles and five home runs in his last 11 games against the Rays…The Pirates rank third in all of MLB with a .792 OPS…The only two teams with a higher OPS are the Rays (.879) and Cubs (.797).
ON THE ROAD: The Pirates have won 10 of their last 13 games on the road since dropping the final two games of their season-opening series at Cincinnati…The Bucs have outscored their opponents 87-39 (+48) during this 13-game stretch…Pittsburgh has the fourth-best road record (11-5) in MLB (last year the Pirates won their 11th road game on June 1).
EXTRA EXTRA: The Pirates are tied for the third-most extra base hits (104) in MLB behind the Rays (121) and Red Sox (106)…Pittsburgh has also recorded at least one extra base hit in each of their 29 games this season, which is the longest streak in all of MLB (the Cubs and Blue Jays have the second-longest streak at 27 games apiece).
STARTING PITCHER – 59 – RHP ROANSY CONTRERAS
ROANSY CONTRERAS: The 23-year-old righthander is making his sixth start of the season tonight…He tossed 6.0 shutout innings while winning an 8-1 decision against the Dodgers in his last start Wednesday at PNC Park.
VS. TAMPA BAY: 0-0 in one career start….Allowed one run in 5.0 innings but had a no-decision on 6/26/22 at Tropicana Field.
TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
WINDING DOWN IN THE WINDY CITY — Despite a late-inning comeback on Sunday, Tampa Bay was unable to secure a seven-game season sweep of the Chicago White Sox, falling by a 12-9 final at Guaranteed Rate Field to close out the month of April…trailing 4-3 in the eighth inning, 1B Luke Raley (2-for-4, 2HR, 3RBI, 2R) hit his second homer of the game, an opposite-field two-run shot, putting the Rays ahead 5-4…the White Sox ultimately erased a 9-5 deficit in the ninth inning, with 1B Andrew Vaughn punctuating Chicago’s seven-run outburst with a walk-off three-run homer.
SS Taylor Walls (4-for-5, HR, 2RBI, 2R, 2SB) matched a career high with four hits (also 4/18/23 at CIN)…he is one of six players in the majors with two 4+ hit games this season (also 4/18 at CIN), joining TOR Bo Bichette (3G), MIA Luis Arraez, BAL Austin Hays, WSH Joey Meneses and BAL Adley Rutschman (2G each).
The seven runs matched the most allowed in the bottom of the ninth inning in club history (also: 9/20/18 at TOR & 5/25/09 at CLE).
APRIL SHOWERS — The Rays 22 wins in April tied the franchise record for most victories in a single month (also: 22-6 in May 2021)…their +99 run differential (191-92) was the best in a calendar month in club history, and best by any MLB team since Oakland in September 2000 (+110)…per Elias, the Rays out-homered opponents 59-19 (+40) in April, the highest home run differential in a single month in MLB history, ahead of Toronto in May 2010 (+37, 54-17).
Tampa Bay’s 59 April homers were the most in a calendar month in franchise history, ahead of May 2017 (52HR), and marked the most by any major league club since New York-AL (58HR) in June 2022.
Per STATS LLC, the Rays had four players hit 7+ homers in a month for the first time in club history (Randy Arozarena, Yandy Díaz, Brandon Lowe, Luke Raley), surpassing the previous mark of three players, done in August 2016 (Evan Longoria, Brad Miller, Logan Forsythe).
Tampa Bay’s 191 runs scored were its most in a calendar month in franchise history, ahead of May 2009 (184R)…it marked the most runs in a month by any team since Houston in August 2019 (200R).
Randy Arozarena collected 35 hits in April, most by a Rays hitter in a single month since Tommy Pham in September 2018 (35H)…his 27 RBI were the most by a Ray since Austin Meadows in May 2021 (28RBI).
Wander Franco’s 16 extra-base hits in April were tied for second most in the majors and the most by a Rays hitter in a single month since Brandon Lowe in August 2021 (18XBH)…Franco’s 12 doubles in April ranked second in MLB and were the most by a Tampa Bay hitter in a month since Joey Wendle in September 2018 (14 2B).
MERRY-GO-ROUND — The Rays have hit a major league-best 61 home runs, the second-most long balls through a club’s first 29 games in MLB history (since 1901)…the only team with more homers through 29 games was the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals (62HR).
Tampa Bay has out-homered opponents, 61-19…it has allowed a league-low 19 homers, ahead of Seattle and Texas, who have both surrendered 21 HR.
The Rays homered in each of their first 22 games, the longest streak to open a season in MLB history…marked the longest home run streak at any point in a single season since the 2019 Houston Astros (25G, 9/1-29, 2019).
The Rays homered in 23 straight games overall from 10/5/22-4/23/23, the longest streak in franchise history (prev. 21G, 9/20/15-4/12/16).
RANDY LAND — Randy Arozarena’s 28 RBI are tied with NYM Pete Alonso for second in the majors behind TEX Adolis Garcia (30)…Arozarena’s 28 RBI are the fourth most by a Tampa Bay hitter through 29 games in franchise history behind Evan Longoria (35RBI, 2009), Carlos Peña (29RBI, 2009) and Ty Wigginton (29RBI, 2006).
Arozarena’s four games with 4+ RBI lead MLB, ahead of NYM Pete Alonso (3G).
He ranks among qualified MLB outfielders in total bases (2nd, 63), avg. exit velocity (2nd, 94.4 mph), batting average (3rd, .327), multi-hit games (4th, 11), hits (4th, 36), OPS (6th, .965), OBP (6th, .392), fWAR (8th, 1.3) and SLG (8th, .573).
TURNING THE CORNER—Isaac Paredes has recorded four straight multi-hit efforts, going 9-for-19 (.474) with four doubles, a home run and 7 RBI in that span.
The four game multi-hit streak is a career high for Paredes and is tied with Yandy Díaz (4/18-22) for the second-longest such streak by a Ray this year behind Harold Ramírez (5G, 4/16-22).
Paredes hit .071 (2-for-28) in eight games from 4/14-23, but has since recorded five multi-hit efforts in his last six games since 4/24, including a career-best 5 RBI on 4/24 at Chicago-AL.
In two career games against Pittsburgh, both coming last season at Tropicana Field (6/25-26, 2022), he is 6-for-8 (.750) with two doubles, a home run and 4 RBI.
LEADING THE PACK — The Rays lead the majors in runs scored (195) while surrendering the fewest runs (92)…Tampa Bay’s +103 run differential is the second-best mark through the first 29 games of a season in MLB history (since 1901), trailing only the 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates (+113).
The Rays have scored 9+ runs in 11 of their first 29 games, including three of their last four…matches the 1930 New York Giants for the most 9+ run performances within the first 29 games of a season since 1901.
Tampa Bay is one of 15 teams since 1901 to score 195+ runs through its first 29 games, and first since the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals (196R).
ON THE MOUND — Tampa Bay’s 3.10 ERA is the best mark in the majors, ahead of Houston (3.21)…this includes the best starter ERA (3.22) and the third-best bullpen ERA (2.97)…Rays pitchers pace the majors in opponents’ OPS (.609), opponents’ average (.209), fewest pitches per IP (15.68) and WHIP (1.11)…Tampa Bay’s 92 runs allowed are its third-fewest through 29 games in franchise history, behind the 2010 (86R) and 2019 (91R) clubs.
IN THE BOX — Rays hitters lead MLB in OPS (.879), OBP (.351), SLG (.528), batting average (.281), hard hit pct. (44.7%), extra-base hits (121) and total bases (529)…the Rays have the majors’ third-lowest ground ball rate (39.6%) and the fourth-highest fly ball rate (29.0%).
BUCS SAIL TO THE BAY — Tonight, Tampa Bay begins its lone series against Pittsburgh in 2023…marks the fourth series between the two clubs at Tropicana Field…the Rays are 5-4 against the Pirates at home, including four straight wins.
The Rays swept a three-game series from the Pirates last season at Tropicana Field from 6/24-26, 2022, including a pair of one-run wins…the all-time series between Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh is tied, 9-9.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP JAVY GUERRA (0-0, 8.64)
WELCOME BACK — Guerra was acquired from Milwaukee on 4/29 in exchange for a PTBNL or cash considerations…he appeared in 17 games with the Rays in 2022 before being dealt to the Brewers on 11/18/22 for a PTBNL…RHP Victor Castaneda was acquired by the Rays on 3/15 to complete the trade.
LAST TIME OUT — Appearing for the Brewers on 4/23, Guerra surrendered a career-high five runs on four hits and three walks (1 intentional) with two strikeouts over 1.2 innings vs. the Red Sox.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING — Guerra will make his first career start tonight…he has made 52 career relief appearances between San Diego (27), Tampa Bay (17) and Milwaukee (8).
NIGHT OWL — In three night appearances this year, Guerra has thrown 4.0 scoreless innings…in five day games, he has pitched to a 16.62 ERA (4.1IP, 8ER) with eight walks (2 intentional) against three strikeouts.
For his career, Guerra has pitched to a 3.41 ERA (31.2IP, 12ER) in 31 night games compared to a 12.39 ERA (20.1IP, 28ER) in 21 day games.
