Blue Jays at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays get back one of their three starting pitchers on the disabled list when Drew Smyly takes the mound Friday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays to begin a three-game set. Rotation regulars Alex Cobb and Matt Moore are still recovering from injuries as Smyly looks to give the Rays a boost after returning from a shoulder tendinitis.
Tampa Bay lost six of its first seven games at home before beating the Boston Red Sox the last two days, including a 2-1 triumph on Rene Rivera’s walk-off single Thursday. The Blue Jays will be a tough test for Smyly after completing a three-game sweep of Baltimore to start the week and totaling 53 runs in their last eight outings. Toronto’s Josh Donaldson homered in the 7-6 victory Thursday and is 17-for-37 with four blasts and 10 RBIs in his last nine games. Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista (shoulder) missed the last two games, but is expected to avoid a trip to the disabled list.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNET-1 (Toronto), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (0-1, 3.26 ERA) vs. Rays LH Drew Smyly (2014: 9-10, 3.24)
Dickey is still looking for his first victory despite limiting opponents to a .169 batting average and 11 hits. The 40-year-old knuckleballer, who has walked 12 in 19 1/3 innings, was 6-9 on the road last season as compared to 8-4 at home and owns a 3.45 ERA at Tampa Bay over 10 career appearances (eight starts). Asdrubal Cabrera is 4-for-11 with a pair of homers versus Dickey, who is 6-6 (2-2 last year) with a 4.07 ERA in his career against the Rays.
Smyly was outstanding after coming over from Detroit in the David Price trade, producing a 3-1 record with a 1.70 ERA in seven starts with the Rays. The 25-year-old, who was a 2010 second-round draft pick of the Tigers, permitted no runs and two hits over 8 2/3 innings during three rehab outings. Donaldson is 4-for-6 with a pair of doubles and home run versus Smyly, who is 1-0 and has not given up a run over 11 2/3 innings and four appearances (one start) against Toronto.
WALK OFFS
1. The Blue Jays won six of their 10 games at Tampa Bay last season, including the final three.
2. Toronto OF Dalton Pompey was held without a hit in four at-bats Thursday after going 8-for-17 during a five-game hitting streak.
3. Rays OF Steven Souza Jr. already has four homers to set a club record for rookies in April.