Gameday Preview: Outfielder Josh Lowe Back With Rays, Leads Off Thursday vs. Blue Jays
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TORONTO — Outfielder Josh Lowe is back with the Tampa Bay Rays, and manager Kevin Cash isn't wasting any time putting him back to work. Lowe, out since Opening Day with an oblique injury, is batting leadoff as the designated hitter on Thursday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays.
It's a welcomed return for the Rays, who have been struggling offensively and could use a boost from the left-handed hitting Lowe. Losing him just two at-bats into the season was tough, and he's missed 42 games since then.
Lowe had a great spring training, so the Rays were expecting big things. He hit .429 with two homers, two doubles and seven RBIs. Getting him back helps a lot because the Rays outfield has been decimated by injuries all year.
Center fielder Jonny DeLuca (shoulder) and Jake Mangum (groin) are on the injured list now, and Travis Jankowski, acquired from the Chicago White Sox during the rash of injuries, went down Wednesday night with groin tightness. He went on the 10-day injured list when Lowe was activated.
Here are all the details on Wednesday's game:
How to watch Rays-Blue Jays
- Who: Tampa Bay Rays (19-23) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (22-22)
- When: Thursday, May 15 at 7:07 p.m. ET
- Where: Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- TV: FanDuel Sports Sun.
- Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM/620 AM, WQBN 106.7/1300 AM (Spanish)
- Betting information: The Blue Jays are favored on the money line at Fanduel.com at minus-178, and the Rays' money line odds are plus-150. On the run line, you can bet the Blue Jays minus-1.5 at plus-122 odds, and the Rays plus-1.5 at minus-146 odds. The over/under is 8 runs.
Here are the starting lineups for both teams.
Rays batting order
- Josh Lowe DH
- Brandon Lowe 2B
- Junior Caminero 3B
- Jonathan Aranda 1B
- Kameron Misner CF
- Jose Caballero RF
- Taylor Walls SS
- Chandler Simpson LF
- Danny Jansen C
Blue Jays batting order
- Bo Bichette SS
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B
- Anthony Santandar RF
- George Springer DH
- Alejandro Kirk C
- Addison Barger 3B
- Ernie Clement 2B
- Myles Straw CF
- Nathan Lukes LF
About the pitchers
- ZACK LITTELL, Tampa Bay: Littell is 2-5 with a 4.40 earned run average. He lost his first five decisions, but has won his last two, beating San Diego on April 27 and the New York Yankees on May 3. ... He allowed just two earned runs in those victories, and pitched six innings last Friday against Milwaukee and only gave up two runs. He had a no-decision in the Rays' 4-3 win over the Brewrs.
- KEVIN GAUSMAN, Toronto: Gausman is 3-3 with a 3.97 earned run average so far this season. ... The 34-year-old right-hander has been really good in May. He pitched six scoreless innings against the Guardians, allowing just one hit on May 3, and got the win last Friday in Seattle, allowing three runs in five-plus innings in a 6-3 win. ... Gausman has had a lot of success against the Rays' Brandon Lowe, who's just 1-for-8 against him.
Tom Brew is the publisher of ''Tampa Bay Rays on SI'' and has been with the Sports Illustrated platform since 2019. He has worked at some of America's finest newspapers, including the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He owns eight sites on the "On SI'' network and has written four books.
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