Cleveland @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2023 ) Tampa Bay 6, Cleveland 2
The Cleveland Guardians will look to snap a two-game skid on Friday when they open a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Guardians lead the American League Central, but their troubles against division rivals continued as they lost three of four games to the host Detroit Tigers this week. Cleveland fell to 15-13 vs. the AL Central after dropping a 10-1 decision to fourth-place Detroit on Thursday afternoon.
"I just think at this point of the season teams are hungry to beat us," Guardians catcher Austin Hedges said, per Cleveland.com. "Teams show up with their 'A' game, their 'A' energy. They prepare more for us now. Clearly you have to do some serious game-planning to beat us.
"It's up to us to respond. We've hit a little lull in the season. Maybe we see that All-Star break ahead of us. A tough series like this is an opportunity for us to respond in Tampa and go into the break hot."
Bo Naylor belted a solo homer in the third inning on Thursday for the Guardians. Steven Kwan also had one of the team's three hits to improve to 12-for-33 (.364) with two homers, three RBIs and six runs over his past eight games.
Cleveland right-hander Carlos Carrasco (3-6, 5.22 ERA) will look to halt a three-start winless stretch on Friday. He received his third straight no-decision on Sunday after allowing three runs on six hits in five innings against the San Francisco Giants.
Carrasco has been taken deep in each of his past four appearances and has surrendered 14 homers over his past 12 starts.
The 37-year-old veteran is 4-6 with a 3.67 ERA in 13 career appearances (11 starts) against Tampa Bay.
Rays right-hander Taj Bradley (3-4, 3.23 ERA) is expected to get the start on Friday.
Bradley, 23, has posted a 2-1 record with a 1.29 ERA in his past six starts. He has struck out 45 and walked 13 in 35 innings during that stretch.
"I just feel like its confidence and also just easygoing -- like, I just keep telling myself it's a game, you're out there to play the same game like you're going to do in the next five days, the next six days," Bradley said, per the Tampa Bay Times. "So, what's the point of putting pressure on yourself? You've got to do what you prepare yourself to do in your bullpens, your catch play, and everything's going to sort itself out."
Bradley received a no-decision in his lone career encounter against Cleveland. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in five innings on Sept. 3, 2023.
Randy Arozarena belted a two-run homer and Brandon Lowe had an RBI single among his three hits in the Rays' 5-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday.
Lowe is 10-for-24 (.417) with one homer, two RBIs and four runs over his past seven games.
Yandy Diaz hit two doubles and scored twice on Thursday. He is 8-for-19 (.421) with one homer, four RBIs and four runs during a five-game hitting streak.
--Field Level Media