Before we get into the 2-game series in which the Roughnecks make the return leg to visit the Trop, we have some
MAJOR trade news:
I'm always shopping players, including the really good ones, to see what they might yield and I've seen Buehler's name pop up a time or two even though he's one of the best pitchers in baseball. So given my disgruntlement with Fried, I tried to see what it would take along with him to maybe get Buehler since Fried still is well-regarded by other GMs in this game. So when the out-for-the-year Paddack appeared in "make this work" I couldn't hit the "complete trade" button fast enough. It seems that the Dodgers aren't thrilled with Buehler's contract even though he has a player option at the end of the season to go 2 more years at $23M per. I would think he'd opt out since he could maybe get closer to $30M but if he doesn't it will only cost us about $17M/year thanks to the salary LA is retaining in this deal. And it also gives us $9M more to play with this year in case we want to deal for someone expensive. So there's nothing not to like here. The Dodgers can make this deal work by extending Paddack and/or Fried, both of whom are no longer arbitration-eligible and therefore free agents as they will take a short-term hit to their staff. Of course watch Fried go on a roll back in the NL. Meanwhile, I'm more than ready to roll out a Glasnow-Buehler-Manning rotation come postseason time.
And in case you think I pulled a "force trade" here, see below:
Also, shut up Neander.
Game 1: The Rays rolled to a 9-0 win over the Roughnecks behind an outstanding start from Shane McClanahan, now 2-for-2 and making his bid to stay in the rotation with Matt Manning soon to return. Mac went 6 5 0 0 2 10 and was only in trouble once, in the 3rd inning where he put the first two batters on but got a double play to help him get out of it. Otherwise he was sending quite a few Roughneck hitters directly back to the dugout from the batter's box. The offense didn't waste time getting him run support. Brujan singled to lead off a game again, stole second again, and scored on a Rafael Devers single. In the 2nd Alec Bohm singled, was doubled to third by Keston Hiura (4-4 tonight with another pair of doubles), scored on a Spencer Torkelson ground out and then Nick Schnell doubled in Hiura. And in the 4th Torkelson went deep for the 6th time in 48 ABs with a man on to make it 5-0 and they kept scoring from there, including a Bohm solo HR. Jose Alvarado pitched the 7th despite the large margin as he hadn't pitched in over a week (neither have Nick Anderson nor Will Smith, but I didn't want to use all 3 in case they're needed tomorrow and we also don't have any off days for a couple of weeks) and Mitch Keller pitched the 8th and 9th. One dark cloud, though: Schnell had to leave with groin soreness and is DtD for a week, therefore Torkelson should get everyday at-bats for the next week plus.
Game 2: The last time we saw Nick Anderson and Will Smith was 10 days ago as they blew a game against Baltimore. Thanks to a bunch of Rays blowout wins, there really hasn't been a game that's had high-leverage situations in the 8th and 9th. Well they were back tonight and we ended up with the same result, an even more shocking defeat given that the Rays were up 6-2 going into the 8th. Dustin May had been cruising along holding the Roughnecks to 5 hits through 7 and only throwing 74 pitches. So he started the 8th and gave up the second solo HR of the day to JD Davis to make it 6-3, and then allowed his first walk of the game. Given that it was long past time to get Anderson into a game he entered and promptly gave up two singles to make it 6-4 and got one out. With lefty power hitter Greyson Jenista due, Jose Alvarado came on and walked him, loading the bases, and then gave up a sac fly to make it 6-5 before getting out of the inning. So to the ninth we went and Will Smith was called into action, and after giving up a leadoff single, he got a ground out moving the runner up to 2nd and then picked up a strikeout. But with one out to get, he gave up three straight singles to score the tying and go-ahead runs and Fernando Romero struck out the side for Miami in the bottom of the inning around a Wander infield single to give the Rays a shock 7-6 loss. May ended 7 6 4 4 1 7 and deserved a better fate, although he did allow 3 solo HRs. The Rays built their lead on a 2-run Vidal Brujan single which was followed by a 2-run Wander HR in the 5th, and a run on an errant pickoff throw as well as an Alec Bohm RBI single. The second straight bad outing from Smith in light of his diminished velocity is a definite cause for concern. Jasseel De La Cruz was Atlanta's closer before we acquired him and can go back into that role if need be, and Sandy Gaston is a dark horse candidate. I really don't want to put Anderson or Alvarado in the closer role as they're (usually) so effective in the 7th and 8th.
Team record: 22-8. Next up: Toronto visits the Trop for a weekend series.
Bad news from Durham: Starting pitching prospect Jimmy Lewis is done for the season with a torn back muscle. At least it's not an arm injury.