NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
Rays strive to continue offensive momentum vs. Angels
With their four-game losing streak over, the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays will use the heart of their rotation Saturday afternoon when they face the Los Angeles Angels in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Rays moved to 20-5 at home by rallying from a 2-1 fifth-inning deficit to win 8-5 over the Angels on Friday.
Tampa Bay tallied seven times in the seventh inning as Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda became the first Rays players to hit back-to-back homers this season.
“When we get hot, it’s hard to get us out,” Diaz, who also led off the game with a homer, said of teammate Aranda, who leads the AL with 42 RBIs.
Diaz tops the AL in batting average at .313. Starting pitcher Nick Martinez (5-1, 1.62) turned in his 11th straight start of allowing two runs or less with his seven-inning, two-run effort.
Rays middle infielders Ben Williamson (back strain) and Taylor Walls (left hamstring) have been nicked up, but Williamson returned Friday at shortstop and went 1-for-2, while Walls played shortstop in the ninth.
Without Walls for a bit, plus Jake Fraley and Jonny DeLuca, the latter two for over a month apiece, the club welcomed its infielders in the series opener.
“Our depth has been tested a little bit,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said on Friday’s pre-game show. “Those three guys are big parts of our club. They get there in different ways whether it’s great defense, big at-bats or timely hitting.”
Drew Rasmussen (4-1, 2.78 ERA) will make his 11th start for Tampa Bay on Saturday. The right-hander has won both of his decisions in a four-start May.
Against the Angels in one start and one relief stint in his career, Rasmussen is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 6 1/3 innings.
The Angels won’t be able to rely on ace Jose Soriano, whose turn will come up when they return home next week to face the Colorado Rockies, and starter Reid Detmers (1-5, 4.57 ERA) will be counted on Saturday to try to even the three-game series.
The left-hander has lost his last four decisions but is coming off his best start this season in the Angels’ 2-1 win Sunday over the Texas Rangers. Detmers was masterful in yielding just one hit and one run, a homer by Jake Burger, and striking out a career-high 14 without a walk.
He is 1-0 with an 0.84 ERA in five career appearances (three starts) against the Rays. The win occurred on May 10, 2022, when the rookie tossed the 12th no-hitter in Angels history in his 11th major league start. He fanned two and walked one.
Third on the Angels with nine homers behind Mike Trout (13) and Zach Neto (10), Jorge Soler got the night off Friday on the Rays’ new turf field, while Jo Adell slid into the cleanup spot.
“With (Soler’s) legs, we communicated with him and felt it wouldn’t be the best idea to get him on turf,” said Angels manager Kurt Suzuki. “We gave Mike (Trout) a day off his feet and DHing. (Soler) will be back in there tomorrow.”
The Angels are 5-2 in their past seven games, but third baseman Nick Madrigal went 2-for-4 in his first game since June 1, 2024, when he played for the Chicago Cubs.
Last in the AL in hitting at .229, Los Angeles produced 10 hits in Friday’s loss.
-Field Level Media
