Gameday Preview (Friday): Rays Visit Reds to Open Three-Game Series

The Tampa Bay Rays look to snap their four-game losing streak on the road as they face the Cincinnati Reds for the first time this season on Friday.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zack Littell (52) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Target Field. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

After dropping a home series to the American League-worst Chicago White Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays will look to right the ship as they travel to Great American Ball Park to face the Cincinnati Reds on Friday.

Wednesday’s 11-9 loss to the White Sox was a gut punch for Tampa Bay (53-50), so much so that starting right-hander Taj Bradley was demoted to Triple-A Durham after allowing four runs in 1.2 innings. He is 6-6 on the season with a 4.61 ERA.

Now 1.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the third wild-card spot in the American League, the Rays look to snap a four-game losing streak on the road. Their last win away from Tampa came against the Detroit Tigers on July 9.

Pitching for Tampa Bay on Friday is right-hander Zack Littell, leading the team with 122.1 innings pitched, who will be making his 21st start.

Littell is 8-7 with a 3.53 ERA. In his most recent start on July 19 against the Baltimore Orioles, the 29-year-old put in six innings of work while striking out three batters and allowing two earned runs and seven hits. He didn't figure into the decision of the 4-3 win.

The Friday contest will mark the fifth time (second start) for Littell against the Reds (53-50) in his eight-year career. He is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA in 10 innings of work against Cincinnati. 

Littell will face Reds right-hander Nick Martinez (8-9, 4.73 ERA). In seven appearances against the Rays, Martinez is 1-0 with a 6.49 ERA.

How to Watch Rays vs. Reds

• Who: Tampa Bay Rays (53-50) at Cincinnati Reds (53-50)
• When: Friday, July 25 at 7:10 p.m. ET.
• Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
• TV: FanDuel Sports Sun
• Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM/620 AM, WQBN 106.7/1300 AM (Spanish)
• Betting information: The money line odds on HardRockBet.com are equal for both teams at -110. On the run line, you can bet the Rays minus-1.5 at plus-140, and the Reds plus-1.5 at minus-185 odds. The over/under is 9.5 runs.

Here are the starting lineups for both teams:

Rays Batting Order

1. Chandler Simpson CF
2. Yandy Diaz DH
3. Jonathan Aranda 1B
4. Junior Caminero 3B
5. Josh Lowe RF
6. Christopher Morel LF
7. Danny Jansen C
8. Taylor Walls SS
9. José Caballero 2B

Reds Batting Order

1. TJ Friedl CF
2. Matt McLain 2B
3. Elly De La Cruz SS
4. Austin Hays LF
5. Gavin Lux DH
6. Spencer Steer 1B
7. Tyler Stephenson C
8. Will Benson RF
9. Noelvi Marte 3B

Rays Newsy Nuggets 

• LOST LEADS: The Rays held a 4-0 lead on Wednesday’s against the White Sox before losing 11-9, marking their fifth loss this season after leading by four runs or more.
• 400 FOR YANDY: Designated Hitter Yandy Diaz opened the scoring Wednesday with a two-run homer in the first inning, giving him his 17th home run of the season and the 400th and 401st RBIs of his career. He also scored his 402nd run in a Rays uniform, tying Carlos Peña for seventh on the club’s all-time list.
• 26 FOR JUNIOR: Junior Caminero blasted his 26th home run of the season on Wednesday. The 22-year-old All-Star is third in homers in the American League behind Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (39) and New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (37). Caminero’s 26 home runs tie Logan Morrison (2017) and Peña (2009) for the second-most home runs before the end of July in franchise history.

Related Rays stories

• LITTELL POISED TO FACE REDS: The Tampa Bay Rays open their first and only series of the regular season against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. Despite not facing Cincinnati this season, Rays starting right-hander Zack Littell is sticking to his approach. CLICK HERE

•  ZACK LITTELL NOT PHASED BY LOOMING TRADE DEADLINE: Tampa Bay pitcher Zack Littell has had a good year, and has an expiring contract. That makes him an enticing target with the trade deadline just a week away. The 29-year-old said the rumors don't bother him, because he's been through this before. CLICK HERE 

• SHANE McCLANAHAN SUFFERS ANOTHER SETBACK: It's been nearly two years since Shane McClanahan has pitching in a major-league game for the Tampa Bay Rays. And after not feeling good in a bullpen session on Monday, the Rays are shutting him down again for an undisclosed time. CLICK HERE