Houston @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2024 ) Houston 3, Tampa Bay 2
The Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays have help on the way, but one of the clubs needs it more than the other.
Houston, after recording a 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday, will seek a three-game series sweep on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Astros used solo homers from Alex Bregman and Jeremy Pena, plus strong pitching from Yusei Kikuchi, to increase their American League West lead to 1 1/2 games over the Seattle Mariners and stretch their majors-best active winning streak to seven games.
Houston has bashed its way to a 7-1 mark on a nine-game road trip, with Bregman, Yordan Alvarez and Yainer Diaz leading the charge.
Bregman has homered in four consecutive games and is 16-for-37 (.432) with eight RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.
"He's just found his groove, his swing is right," Houston manager Joe Espada said of Bregman. "He has a level of confidence he never lacks, but right now he's putting (together) some good swings."
Rays manager Kevin Cash said after the series opener that the timing of the Astros' arrival on Florida's Gulf Coast was not advantageous.
That played out again on Tuesday.
"They went into their last series (in Boston) and everybody got hot," said Cash, whose club dipped below .500 for the first time since July 19. "Bregman seems like he's doubled his production from just the week that we saw him, so it was probably just a matter of time and we're catching them at a bad time."
Houston might not need the help right now, but the Space City club will be getting two key pieces back soon.
Veteran pitcher Justin Verlander (neck stiffness) and outfielder Kyle Tucker (right shin contusion) are both close to returning and could be impactful contributors as the Astros go toe-to-toe with the Mariners for the division title.
A 260-game winner in his stellar career, Verlander said a personal goal of his is to reach 300 career victories. The 41-year-old made a total of one start in 2020 and 2021 due to multiple injuries, including Tommy John surgery.
The right-hander will make a final rehab start for Double-A Corpus Christi on Thursday, after which he is likely to rejoin the Astros.
The Rays got help on Tuesday with the arrival of Junior Caminero, regarded as one of the game's top few prospects.
Cash said third base, previously manned by All-Star Isaac Paredes before he was traded to the Chicago Cubs, will now be assigned to the powerful Caminero.
The 21-year-old Dominican slugger went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts in his 2024 debut on Tuesday. However, his lone hit was a blistered 116.3 mph infield single, and he made two diving stops to prevent runs at the hot corner.
"(His defense) was probably the highlight of the game. Really encouraging," Cash said of the Santo Domingo native who jumped from Double-A Montgomery to the Rays late last season.
Tampa Bay's current offense has been held to two runs or fewer in eight of the past 12 games.
Houston right-hander Ronel Blanco (9-6, 3.02 ERA) is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two career outings, one start, vs. Tampa Bay. He lost to the Rays on Aug. 3 after giving up two runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Tampa Bay's Zack Littell (5-8, 4.11 ERA) is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA in two lifetime starts against the Astros. The right-hander got the best of Blanco and Houston on Aug. 3, when he permitted one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He fanned three and walked one.
--Field Level Media