Rays Excited to Start Post All-Star Break Play
With the four-day All-Star Break nearly complete for the Rays, more than half the club was at Tropicana Field on Thursday for an optional workout. Tampa Bay flies to Atlanta on Friday morning for a three-game series against the Braves.
All of the team’s starting pitchers were on hand, as were several position players, including Randy Arozarena and Austin Meadows. Kevin Cash was back from the All-Star Game in Colorado and says it was a terrific experience, and was especially pleased to see Joey Wendle, Mike Zunino and Andrew Kittredge perform so well. As enjoyable as the All-Star Game was, Cash is now focused on what’s to come for Tampa Bay.
“We’ve got some work to do on the road,” Cash said. “We played really good here at home at the end. But we’re going to go play Atlanta, who was a very, very good team last year, and certainly has all the players to be a really good team this year. So we’ve got our challenges.”
Cash says Michael Wacha (2–2 4.87) will start on Friday night, with Josh Fleming (7–4 3.26) to start or pitch behind an opener on Saturday and then Rich Hill (6–4 3.74) going on Sunday. Cash says Shane McClanahan will work the fifth game after the break, giving the Rays a chance to give him an extended break as they monitor his innings.
On the injury front, Cash says Tyler Glasnow has begun playing light catch, the first of several steps in his rehab process. In addition, Chris Archer will continue his rehab assignment with Durham this weekend.
Nick Anderson, who has been out since March, will throw live batting practice in Port Charlotte on Friday. Oliver Drake had what Cash calls a minor setback, as his neck/back is bothering him so he will have a couple of days off.
Cash also says Manuel Margot (hamstring) and Mike Brosseau (oblique) have advanced to hitting off a tee. Both are not expected to be activated for the Atlanta series, nor will pitcher Ryan Thompson (shoulder), who will throw a bullpen on Friday or Saturday.
