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Nick Martinez Nick Martinez Rocked for six runs in loss
Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 9:26 PM
Martinez (12-4) took the loss against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, allowing six runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out five across 3.2 innings.
Analysis: The Rays needed a long outing from Martinez after the team heavily leaned on its bullpen during the previous four-game series against the Orioles. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, Martinez didn't have his best stuff Tuesday, yielding two runs in the first, third and fourth innings while running his pitch count up to 82 (56 strikes, six whiffs). It was the first time this season that the veteran right-hander failed to complete four innings in a start and the third time in his last four outings that he's given up at least four runs. Martinez will take a 3.05 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 141.2 innings into his next start, lined up for this weekend against the Orioles at Camden Yards. |
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Yandy Diaz Yandy Diaz Another multi-hit game
Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 9:17 PM
Diaz went 2-for-4 with a run scored during the Rays' 10-5 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday.
Analysis: Diaz extended his hitting streak to nine games Tuesday, during which he's logged six multi-hit games while going 18-for-40 (.450) with three home runs, six RBI and 10 runs scored. He ranks third in the majors with 145 hits, and his .306 batting average is seventh-best among qualified hitters. |
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Victor Mesa Jr. Victor Mesa Jr. Aggravates hamstring Tuesday
Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 8:38 PM
Manager Kevin Cash said Mesa aggravated his left hamstring injury Tuesday and could require a trip to the 10-day injured list, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Analysis: Mesa was back in the lineup Tuesday after missing the previous three contests. He was hit by a pitch in the second inning against Toronto and was lifted for a pinch hitter ahead of his second plate appearance in the fourth. Mesa is slashing .214/.288/.447 across 179 trips to the plate this season and has three multi-hit games this month. |
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Griffin Jax Griffin Jax Rehab start on tap
Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 2:32 PM
Manager Kevin Cash said Jax (elbow) is expected to make a rehab start for Triple-A Durham on Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis: The right-hander threw live batting practice with no issues and is now on the cusp of returning to game action. Jax landed on the injured list Aug. 9 due to the elbow issue and received an injection a couple days later. He was only briefly shut down from throwing and may need just one outing in the minors before being cleared to rejoin Tampa Bay's rotation. |
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Victor Mesa Jr. Victor Mesa Jr. Good to go Tuesday
Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 2:27 PM
Mesa (hamstring) is starting in right field and batting sixth Tuesday against the Blue jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis: The 24-year-old didn't start the past three games after exiting Friday's contest due to left hamstring tightness, but he's back in action Tuesday against Toronto righty Jose Soriano. Mesa has been performing well at the plate lately with five extra-base hits (two homers) and a .955 OPS across his last eight games. |
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Bryan Baker Bryan Baker Records five-out save
Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 8:36 PM
Baker struck out two while allowing one hit and no walks in 1.2 scoreless innings to earn the save Monday against the Orioles.
Analysis: In a pivotal American League East matchup Monday, the Rays turned to Baker to record more than three outs for the first time this season. The All-Star right-hander continues to be a lights-out closer, last blowing a save May 13 in Toronto. Through 49 innings, Baker boasts a 1.47 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 55:16 K:BB with an MLB-high 35 saves (38 attempts). |
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Shane McClanahan Shane McClanahan Rusty in return Monday
Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 8:19 PM
McClanahan took a no-decision against the Orioles on Monday, allowing three runs on four hits and no walks in 3.1 innings. He struck out three.
Analysis: Making his return from the injured list, McClanahan showed signs of rust on the major-league mound following a one-start rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham. The Rays appeared to have a strict workload limit in place for the left-hander, who threw only 57 pitches (35 strikes), but he should see those restrictions loosen as he becomes further removed from his bout of left mid-back tightness. McClanahan is set to take a 3.25 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 94:35 K:BB over 102.1 innings into a road rematch with Baltimore. |
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Taylor Walls Taylor Walls Taking seat Monday
Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 2:10 PM
Walls is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis: Walls is in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak, but he'll put it on hold for a night as the Rays give him some rest. Jorge Mateo will step in at shortstop in place of Walls, who is still slashing just .240/.296/.360 since the All-Star break in spite of his recent hot stretch at the dish. |
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Victor Mesa Jr. Victor Mesa Jr. Remains out Monday
Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 2:09 PM
Mesa (hamstring) remains out of the lineup for Monday's contest versus the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis: Mesa hasn't started a game since exiting Friday's series opener due to left hamstring tightness, though he appeared as a pinch hitter Saturday. The outfielder is considered day-to-day. Ryan Vilade will handle right field for the Rays on Monday. |
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Joe Boyle Joe Boyle Moves to Triple-A
Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 1:21 PM
The Rays optioned Boyle to Triple-A Durham on Monday.
Analysis: Boyle's stay with the Rays lasted two days, with the right-hander striking out five and allowing two earned runs on two hits and three walks over 3.1 innings of relief in his lone appearance during Sunday's 10-2 loss to the Orioles. He'll give up his spot on the active roster to left-hander Shane McClanahan (back), who was reinstated ahead of his scheduled start in Monday's series finale. |
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Shane McClanahan Shane McClanahan Reinstated ahead of Monday's start
Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 1:20 PM
The Rays activated McClanahan (back) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start Monday againt the Orioles at Tropicana Field.
Analysis: McClanahan will make his return to the Rays after being shelved for almost three weeks with mid-back tightness. The left-hander fanned two batters over three perfect innings in his lone rehab start with Triple-A Durham last Tuesday. McClahahan threw just 30 pitches in that outing and hasn't reached 50 pitches in a start since July 24, so his workload Monday will be somewhat abbreviated. |
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Manuel Rodriguez Manuel Rodriguez Closing in on return
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 9:04 PM
Rodriguez (elbow) has a 6.14 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 13:3 K:BB over 7.1 innings during his minor-league rehab assignment.
Analysis: Rodriguez pitched back-to-back days for Triple-A Durham on Friday and Saturday, which is likely the final hurdle that he had left to climb before joining the Rays, per MLB.com. The right-hander is just about fully recovered from right elbow surgery he underwent in August of last year, and Rodriguez could be activated from the injured list as early as this week. |
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Ryan Vilade Ryan Vilade Goes deep in three-hit game
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 8:54 PM
Vilade went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and an additional run scored in Sunday's 10-2 loss to the Orioles.
Analysis: Vilade recorded his first homer of the month of August on Sunday. The utility player is playing a part-time role, but he's been an effective weapon for the Rays versus left-handed pitching. Vilade sports an .863 OPS in 114 at-bats against left-handers as opposed to a .682 OPS in 66 at-bats against righties this season. |
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Freddy Peralta Freddy Peralta Falls to Baltimore
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 6:58 PM
Peralta (5-10) took the loss Sunday against the Orioles, allowing two runs on one hit and three walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out two.
Analysis: After Peralta held Baltimore scoreless through his first four innings, the Rays turned to the bullpen with two outs and two on in the fifth. Garrett Cleavinger would then give up back-to-back hits, allowing both inherited runners to score and sticking Peralta with his 10th loss of the year. Through three starts with Tampa, Peralta has given up 12 runs across 14.1 innings. Overall, his ERA sits at 5.27 with a 1.48 WHIP and 123:53 K:BB across 25 starts (128 innings) between the Rays and Mets this season. Peralta is currently in line for a rematch with the Orioles on the road his next time out. |
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Shane McClanahan Shane McClanahan Making return from IL on Monday
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 2:37 PM
McClanahan (back) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Monday's series finale versus the Orioles at Tropicana Field, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis: McClanahan has received the green light to rejoin the Tampa Bay rotation after he struck out two batters over three perfect innings during his lone rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Durham. Considering that McClanahan tossed just 30 pitches in that outing, he'll likely be in line for a restricted workload Monday, when he'll be making his first start for the Rays since July 30 before hitting the shelf with left mid-back tightness. |
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Cedric Mullins Cedric Mullins Idle against southpaw
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 9:19 AM
Mullins is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Analysis: The Rays will keep Mullins and fellow left-handed hitters Liam Hicks, Richie Palacios and Victor Mesa (hamstring) on the bench while southpaw Trevor Rogers toes the rubber for the Orioles. Jonny DeLuca will cover center field and bat sixth. |
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Richie Palacios Richie Palacios Shielded from lefty
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 9:18 AM
Palacios is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Analysis: Lefty Trevor Rogers is toeing the rubber for the Orioles, so Palacios will give up his spot at second base to Jorge Mateo. Palacios has logged just 41 plate appearances versus lefties all season, slashing .189/.268/.270 with a 26.8 percent strikeout rate in that split. |
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Victor Mesa Jr. Victor Mesa Jr. Omitted from lineup Sunday
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 9:09 AM
Mesa (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Analysis: Mesa exited Friday's 6-5 loss after seven innings due to left hamstring tightness and will be left out of the starting nine for a second straight day. According to MLB.com, manager Kevin Cash labeled Mesa as day-to-day and said that the young outfielder is "going to be OK," so Mesa appears likely to avoid a stint on the injured list. Mesa was able to make a pinch-hitting appearance in Saturday's 4-3 extra-inning loss, which suggests that his absence Sunday may have more to do with a lefty (Trevor Rogers) starting for the Orioles than the hamstring injury. |
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Liam Hicks Liam Hicks Idle Sunday
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 9:05 AM
Hicks is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Analysis: Hicks will be given a rest after he started behind the plate in each of the Rays' last four games. Nick Fortes will handle catching duties Sunday. |
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Ian Seymour Ian Seymour Strikes out nine in no-decision
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:12 PM
Seymour did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Orioles, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk with nine strikeouts over six innings.
Analysis: Seymour yielded two homers but was otherwise impressive, throwing 69 of 93 pitches for strikes with 16 whiffs. The 27-year-old has now logged three straight quality starts to open August, tallying 25 punchouts during that stretch. He'll take a 4.11 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 115:31 K:BB across 96.1 innings this season into a home matchup with Toronto next week. |
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