GameDay Preview: Rare Doubleheader Day For Rays, With Shane McClanahan Pitching Game 1
TORONTO — For two teams that play in baseball stadiums with a roof, it's a rare day when the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays have a makeup game. But that happens on Saturday when they meet at Rogers Center for a split doubleheader.
Because of the lockout over the winter, the start of the 2022 MLB season was delayed a week. But owners and players alike wanted to play a full 162-game season, so those first two series that were postposed had to be made up. One of them was in Toronto for the Rays. (The other was in Boston.)
So they're making up one game on Saturday, and the others during another five-game, four-day series in mid-September. Saturday's games start at 12:07 p.m. ET and the nightcap begins at 6:07 p.m. ET
This will be the 36th doubleheader in club history and 22nd split doubleheader. The Rays has swept only six of those, and have been swept 14 times with 15 splits. This is their first doubleheader since July 7, 2021 against Cleveland and the first on the road since Sep 17, 2020 at Baltimore. The Rays have swept their last two doubleheaders, and this is the first time the Rays are facing the Blue Jays in a doubleheader. They'll do it again on Sept. 13.
The Rays made more roster moves prior to the double-dip. They optioned reliever David McKay back to Durham after he allowed four runs in two innings in Friday's 9-2 loss. Righty Dusten Knight was activated from the taxi squad and Drew Rasmussen (left hamstring strain) was re-instated from the 15-day injured list as the 27th man — and 14th pitcher — which is allowed for doubleheaders.
Rays starter Shane McClanahan leads the American League in both earned run average (1.77) and strikeouts (123). (USA TODAY Sports)
Shane McClanahan will start the first game for the Rays, as they try to snap a four-game losing streak. Their last win was on Sunday, when McClanahan started and won against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rasmussen will pitch the nightcap.
Here's the latest on the two games today:
How to watch Rays at Blue Jays
- Who: Tampa Bay Rays (40-36) at Toronto Blue Jays (44-33)
- When: Game 1 — 12:07 p.m. ET; Game 2 — 6:07 p.m. ET, Saturday, July 2
- Where: Rogers Center, Toronto
- TV: Bally Sports Sun
- Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE
- Announcers: Dewayne Staats (play-by-play), Brian Anderson (color commentary) and Tricia Whitaker (reporter).
- Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM, SiriusXM Channel 175 (Blue Jays announcers; Rays online)
- Announcers: Andy Freed and Dave Wills.
- Latest line: The Blue Jays are favored at minus-142 on the money line in Game 1 according to the Fanduel.com website opening line as of Saturday morning. The Rays are plus-12. The over/under is 7.5.
Projected lineups (Game 1)
- RAYS: Yandy Diaz 3B, Wander Franco SS, Harold Ramirez DH, Randy Arozarena LF, Isaac Paredes 1B, Kevin Kiermaier CF, Rene Pinto C, Taylor Walls 2B, Josh Lowe RF, Shane McClanahan P.
- BLUE JAYS: George Springer CF, Beau Bichette SS, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. DH, Teoscar Hernandez RF, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. LF, Matt Chapman 3B, Santiago Espinal 2B, Gabriel Moreno C, Cavan Biggio 1B, Kevin Gausman P.
Starting pitchers (Game 1)
- SHANE McCLANAHAN, Rays: Shane McClanahan has been one of the best pitchers in baseball so far this season. He is 8-3 with a 1.77 earned run average, second-best in the majors among starters and tops in the American League. He has 123 strikeouts, best in the AL. He has allowed one earned run or less in eight of his last nine starts, and the one exception was when he gave up two earned runs in a win over the Chicago White Sox. He hasn't faced the Blue Jays yet this year, but had three starts against them a year ago, his first in the majors. He was 0-1 with a 3.14 ERA against them over 14 1/3 innings, and the Rays won two of those three games.
- KEVIN GAUSMAN, Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman is 6-6 with a 2.93 ERA this season over his 15 starts. He faced the Rays back on May 13, taking the loss in the Rays' 5-2 win. He pitched seven innings, allowed four runs, three earned. The 10-year veteran is in his first year with Toronto.
Drew Rasmussen has missed three starts with a hamstring injury. (USA TODAY Sports)
Starting pitchers (Game 2)
- DREW RASMUSSEN, Rays: Drew Rasmussen is coming of the injured list to pitch the nightcap. He's been out with a hamstring strain, and is 5-3 this season with a 3.41 ERA. He last pitched on June 10 and said his time away shouldn't affect his ability to pitch deep into the game.
- THOMAS HATCH, Blue Jays: Thomas Hatch is starting for Toronto. This is his first game in 2022. He has 20 career appearances for the Jays in 2020-21, including three starts. He is 2-1 with a 3.79 career ERA
