Indians at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays look to get their highly regarded starting pitching staff going when they host the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday for the first of a three-game set. Tampa Bay’s starters have not recorded a victory or completed seven innings and own a bloated 5.67 ERA in the first six contests as Matt Moore attempts to stop the trend in the series opener.
“As a staff, we’re not happy with what we’re doing,” Rays pitcher Jake Odorizzi told reporters after taking the loss in a 5-3 setback at Baltimore on Sunday. “And that just speaks to the standard that we’ve set for ourselves.” Moore will have to be sharp against the Indians, who have scored 19 runs in four games while starting 2-2 and send ace Corey Kluber to the mound. Cleveland will be pleased to play the next three indoors at Tropicana Field -- where it won all four games last season -- after getting two games rained out last week. Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis went 14-for-29 with a homer in seven outings against Tampa Bay in 2015.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (0-1, 6.75 ERA) vs. Rays LH Matt Moore (0-0, 5.40)
Kluber surrendered nine hits and four runs over 5 1/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to Boston on opening day and tries to make amends in his first start on the road. The 2014 Cy Young winner struggled away from home a year ago, going 3-8 with a 4.15 ERA during a disappointing 9-16 campaign. Logan Morrison is 4-for-10 and Evan Longoria has homered against Kluber, who is 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA in five starts versus the Rays.
Moore made one very bad pitch in his season debut last week, allowing a three-run homer to Josh Donaldson before escaping without a loss when the Rays rallied for a victory. The 26-year-old gave up the three runs on five hits and struck out six in five innings against Toronto last Tuesday. Marlon Byrd has homered in two at-bats against Moore, who is 2-1 with a 4.64 ERA in five career outings versus the Indians.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay OF-DH Corey Dickerson went 3-for-6 in two games at Baltimore and boasts three homers in his first six games with the team.
2. Cleveland 1B-DH Carlos Santana, normally a slow starter, has a home run and five RBIs in the first four games of 2016.
3. Rays newcomers SS Brad Miller, C Hank Conger and Morrison are a combined 4-for-45 in the first nine days of the season.