Rays at Athletics
The Tampa Bay Rays look to complete a four-game sweep and extend their winning streak to six contests when they visit the Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon. Tampa Bay posted its second shutout of the series on Wednesday as Nathan Eovaldi combined with two relievers on a one-hitter in the 6-0 triumph.
Eovaldi returned from Tommy John surgery and an elbow procedure in impressive fashion, issuing one walk and registering four strikeouts over six hitless innings during his first major-league appearance since Aug. 10, 2016 with the New York Yankees. Wilson Ramos went 2-for-4 to stretch his hitting streak to 10 games while Rob Refsnyder and Johnny Field homered for the Rays, who have outscored Oakland 11-3 in the series. Jed Lowrie registered the Athletics' lone hit on Wednesday and is 5-for-13 over the first three games of the set. Oakland, which has been blanked in three of its last eight contests, hopes to receive some offensive help Thursday as slugger Khris Davis (groin) is expected to be activated from the disabled list.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Ryne Stanek (1-0, 3.24 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (5-4, 2.85)
Stanek will make his second major-league start after notching the win in the series-opening 1-0 triumph in 13 innings at Oakland by working 1 2/3 scoreless frames of relief. The 26-year-old native of St. Louis struck out three while retiring all five batters he faced against Baltimore on Saturday as he became the 10th pitcher to start a game for Tampa Bay this season. Stanek has been scored upon in only two of his eight appearances this year but has yet to work two innings and did so only twice in 21 relief outings as a rookie in 2017.
Mengden is seeking his third home win of the season - and in 19 career starts at Oakland Coliseum - as he comes off a masterpiece against Arizona on Saturday. The 25-year-old Texan struck out five while tossing a two-hit shutout in his second complete game in the majors - both of which have been shutouts. Mengden, who will be facing Tampa Bay for the first time, has posted a 1.07 ERA in five turns this month.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics RHP Liam Hendriks (groin/hip) was sent to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday to begin a rehab assignment.
2. In addition to activating Eovaldi (elbow), Tampa Bay optioned Jaime Schultz to Triple-A Durham and transferred fellow RHP Jake Faria (oblique) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.
3. Oakland placed SS Marcus Semien on the paternity list and recalled RHP Josh Lucas from Nashville.