Yankees at Rays
Rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres is expected to come off the disabled list but he won't be the only addition for the New York Yankees when they wrap up a three-game series at the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon. The Yankees agreed to a deal with Baltimore on Tuesday -- pending physicals -- to acquire former All-Star closer Zach Britton.
New York will send three pitching prospects in exchange for Britton, who will join a formidable bullpen that entered Tuesday's game leading the American League in ERA (2.75) and strikeouts (448). Torres, who was batting .294 with 15 homers when he strained his hip on July 4, rejoins the lineup one day after Brandon Drury was forced from Tuesday's 4-0 victory when he was struck in the hand by a pitch. Tampa Bay had won five straight against the Yankees before mustering only three hits to drop to 2-3 on its five-game homestand. Rays right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who pitched for New York in 2015 and 2016 before undergoing Tommy John surgery, will oppose Luis Cessa in the series finale.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Cessa (1-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. Rays RH Nathan Eovaldi (3-4, 4.26)
Cessa lasted only three innings in his first start of the season, taking the loss at Philadelphia on June 27 after giving up three runs on five hits. The 26-year-old was much better in his next turn, earning his first win since 2016 by limiting Baltimore to three hits over six scoreless frames. Cessa pitched two scoreless innings versus the Rays last month and is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA against them in six appearances (two starts).
Eovaldi followed his worst start of the season with one of his best, striking out eight and holding Miami to one run over six innings in a no-decision. He was shelled for eight runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings at Minnesota in his previous turn -- the only time he failed to go six innings in his last seven outings. Didi Gregorius is 5-for-9 versus Eovaldi, who gave up five runs in 7 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium on June 15.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Yankees placed C Gary Sanchez (groin) on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday.
2. Rays 1B C.J. Cron had two hits Tuesday; he was 3-for-26 with 15 strikeouts in his first seven games versus New York this season.
3. Yankees 1B/DH Greg Bird has hit safely in four straight and 12 of 13 games.