New frontier, or old tricks?
The Rays are again plotting to try something else significantly different and extremely unusual with their starting pitching plans.
Which is beginning the game with one of their late-inning relievers, then switching to their otherwise scheduled starter, based primarily on matchups – in the first inning.
So on Saturday night against the Angels, look for veteran right-handed reliever Sergio Romo to start and work the first inning, and maybe into the second, with rookie lefty Ryan Yarbrough eventually coming in to handle the bulk of the innings.
The thinking is that Romo's combination of slow, sweeping breaking balls will stymie the six or so aggressive right-handers at the top of the Angels order.