Saturday, 4 a.m.
Maybe, just maybe, the Rays traded away the wrong Zach.
The Rays moved the high-priced Zach Eflin away at the trading deadline for three chances at the future. Eflin left the Rays with a bit of regret Friday night, dominating the Rays (and Zack Littell) in a 4-1 victory.
Eflin threw seven innings, allowing four hits and no runs. Eflin is now 3-0 with the Orioles.
Littell, on the other hand, gave up three runs in his five innings. One was a leadoff home run from Colton Cowser. He later gave up a soft single to Ryan O’Hearn for two runs in the fifth.
The O’s fourth run came on a seventh-inning solo homer by Cedric Mullins.
The Rays only run came on a ninth-inning home run by Dylan Carlson. They again struggled to get runs home, getting only two at-bats with runners in scoring position. Both times, they failed.
The Rays are now 59-58 on the season. They try to avoid slipping back to .500 tonight at the Trop at 7:15 p.m. Corbin Burnes will start for the O’s. The Rays have not announced a starter, but the speculation is that it could be Drew Rasmussen.