Gameday Preview (Monday): 'Refreshed' Shane Baz Gets Start in Series Opener vs. White Sox
TAMPA, Fla.
Shane Baz pitched 110 innings before the All-Star break for the Tampa Bay, which is uncharted territory for the 26-year-old right-hander.
He's never pitched more than 79 innings since making his major-league debut in 2021.
He's been mostly good, too, going 8-5 so far and bouncing back from a rough patch in late April and mid-May.
Since May 24, he's allowed more than three runs only once, and has seven starts this season where he's allowed one run or less.
He's shown up every four or five days, and his last start against Boston on July 12, he only allowed one run, but that was all that happened in a 1-0 loss to Boston.
He hasn't pitched in nine days thanks to the All-Star break, and it came at a good time for him.
He feels much better now.
"I definitely feel refreshed.
I spent it here in Tampa with my girlfriend.
We got the dog here, so I was doing extra dog-dad duty,'' Baz said.
"It was great.
I took two days and just did nothing, and then it was right back to it.
But I feel refreshed and my body feels good.'' Baz has had success all year with this fastball and curve, but his cutter has been a big pitch lately, too.
"I feel like I have the weapons back and I'm using them right, with pitch execution.
I feel good about where I'm at, and I feel good about the team,'' Baz.
Baz has never faced the White Sox before, and Chicago starter Sean Burke hasn't faced the Rays, either.
This is the first of three games at Steinbrenner Field before the Rays hit the road to Cincinnati and New York (Yankees).
Here's how to watch Monday's game: How to watch White Sox-Rays Who: Chicago White Sox (35-65) at Tampa Bay Rays (52-48) When: Monday, July 21 at 7:35 p.m.
ET Where: Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Fla.
TV: FanDuel Sports Sun Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM/620 AM, WQBN 106.7/1300 AM (Spanish) Betting information: The Rays are favored on the money line at HardRockBet.com at minus-225, and the White Sox's money line odds are plus-175.
On the run line, you can bet the Rays minus-1.5 at minus-110 odds, and the White Sox plus-1.5 runs at minus-110 odds.
The over/under is 8.5 runs.
Here are the starting lineups for both teams: White Sox batting order Mike Tauchman RF Chase Meidroth SS Andrew Benintendi DH Miquel Vargas 1B Kyle Teel C Luis Robert Jr.
CF Colson Montgomery 3B Lenyn Sosa 2B Brooks Baldwin LF Rays batting order Chandler Simpson CF Yandy Diaz DH Jonathan Aranda 1B Junior Caminero 3B Josh Lowe RF Ha-Seong Kim SS Christopher Morel RF Danny Jansen C Taylor Walls 2B Starting pitchers SEAN BURKE, Chicago White Sox: Sean Burke is 4-8 on the season with a 4.36 earned run average.
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The 25-year-old right-hander from Sutton, Mass.
is making his 17th start of the season and it's the first time he's ever faced Tampa Bay.
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Burke pitched six scoreless innings against the Angels in his first start on March 27, and has had two other scoreless starts as well, against Milwaukee and Baltimore.
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Burke has struggled on the road, going 0-5 with a 5.18 ERA.
He's at 3.79 at home.
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Burke has a good chance of keeping Tampa Bay's running game at bay.
He has three pickoffs this season, tied for fourth in the AL and tied for eighth in all of baseball.
As a team, Chicago has picked off 13 runners, third-best in all of baseball SHANE BAZ, Tampa Bay Rays: Shane Baz is 8-5 on the season with a 4.17 ERA.
earned run average.
The 26-year-old from Houston is making his 20th start of the season, and his first ever against the White Sox.
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Baz is 0-2 in three starts in July, but he's pitched with some tough luck, too.
He allowed just one run against Boston on July 12, but the Rays got shut out in a 1-0 loss.
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Baz has had five quality starts in his last six outings.
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For some reason, Baz has struggled against AL Central teams in his career.
He's 2-3 with a whopping 6.59 ERA.
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Baz has given up 17 home runs this season, but the White Sox have only hit 80, which ranks No.
28 in baseball.
Related Rays stories BRANDON LOWE TALKS FOOT INJURY: Tampa Bay second baseman Brandon Lowe is dealing with his second injury in less than a month, but he told reporters Monday this his plantar fasciitis injury should not require a trip to the injured list.
Here's his interview.
CLICK HERE INSIDER INFORMATION ON WHITE SOX: The Tampa Bay Rays will face a new opponent in the Chicago White Sox on Monday.
Though the Rays don't have any game experience against Chicago this season, they have someone on the roster who may know their opponent better than anyone catcher Matt Thaiss.
He started the season with the White Sox.
CLICK HERE TOM BREW COLUMN: The Tampa Bay Rays are 100 games into the season, and they're outside the playoff race right now.
But there are pieces in place to still have another long hot streak, especially with a couple of talented new arms in the bullpen.
They can get this done.
CLICK HERE ORIOLES WIN FINALE (Sunday): The Tampa Bay Rays played the hottest game of the season on Sunday and also had the longest rain delay.
Between it all, Ryan Pepiot gave up three home runs and a ninth-inning rally fell short in a 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Here's the game story.
CLICK HERE RECORD RAIN DELAY: The Tampa Bay Rays are no strangers to rain delays, especially when calling an outdoor stadium home.
However, Sunday's delay against the Baltimore Orioles marked the longest of the season.
CLICK HERE SIMPSON CONTINUES TO SHINE: Tampa Bay Rays rookie center fielder Chandler Simpson is epitomizing what it means to be reliable and consistent while developing along the way.
CLICK HERE.
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