Game 1: 2-3 L (11). LP-L.Gonzalez (2-1). Starter-Lennon (6 6 2 2 2 6). Rays scored twice in the first and couldn't again, dooming them to an extra-inning defeat.
Game 2: 3-2 W. WP-Stevenson (3-0). S-R.Rodriguez (17). Starter-Buckman (2.2 2 1 1 2 0). Haro had a pair of RBI singles and the bullpen excelled after Buckman left early with a herniated disc in his back.
In need of an offensive boost, we swung a big trade:
Who is
Jose Pino?
Yeah, he's pretty good. The only knock on him is his defense but it's something you live with when you have a 5-6 WAR player. We paid a good price for him, starting with our incumbent 2B Mesa, who did a decent job for us but was a 2-WAR player. Cantu is an excellent power prospect, but there are questions about his contact (50 ceiling) and he's limited to 1B (probably DH since he's a 40 at 1B). Gonzalez is the key prospect, a potential do-it-all CF with potential 65 contact/65 power and a good glove, but he's 18 and in DSL ball. The fourth guy was a half-star "make it work" guy. Pino gives the offense a legit boost which it badly needed. He has 3 years of team control left but will obviously get expensive, projected for $14.5M in arbitration next year and $20M+ in the two years after that but should be worth it.
Transactions: Aside from swapping out Mesa for Pino, Buckman goes on the IL with his herniated disc although he should be back when his 15 days are up,
Christian Rodriguez is recalled from Durham for long relief while Stevenson moves back into the rotation. Also in another boost to the offense
Yordan Alvarez is activated off the IL after swatting 3 homers in his 2 rehab games and
Kyle Deckard, who struggled in his first MLB callup, is sent back to the Bulls.
Game 3:
3-11 L. LP-Stone (4-5, 5.1 5 5 5 4 6). HR-Tovar (5), Haro (6). Pino made his Rays debut and while he had a decent game his teammates didn't as Baltimore blew out the Rays. Stone had only allowed 6 runs over his last 5 starts and cruised through the first 4 with a 2-0 lead, but the bottom fell out in the 5th as he gave up 5 runs on a couple of homers and the bullpen was brutal from there in letting it get away. Pino was 2-4 with a walk so he did his part.
Game 4: 7-0 W. WP-Oviedo (8-2, 6.2 6 0 0 3 6). HR-J.Jones (2), Pino (1/22). Oviedo was dominant again, pitching the Rays to a split. It was a tense 2-0 game until the 7th when Jones broke it open with a 3-run homer and then Pino launched what we hope is the first of many homers in a Tampa Bay uniform to cap the scoring.
Team record: 44-30. The two losses cost us a game in the division race as we now trail the Yanks by 4 1/2. Next up: Interleague play as 36-39 San Diego visits for 3.