After Friday’s staggering walkoff loss in which Jose Alvarado blew a two-run lead in the ninth dropped the Rays out of first place for the first time since March, they seek to bounce back against the Yankees today.
And they feel they have the right man on the mound in Blake Snell, who has pitched much better his last two starts. He will be working with another new catcher, as veteran Erik Kratz, who was acquired Thursday from the Giants, gets his first start.
The challenge is that the Yankees also are starting one of their best, Masahiro Tanaka, in a rematch of last Sunday’s game at the Trop.