Snell wasn't happy giving up a homer./TIM WIRT
Thursday, 4 a.m.
This time, he didn't break his toe. He just stubbed it.
Snell didn't last long./TIM WIRT
Blake Snell, after missing time with a broken toe, made his return to the Rays Wednesday afternoon, but it was hardly a triumphant one. Snell pitched only 3 1/e innings and threw just 65 pitches, and the Rays absorbed a 10-2 drubbing at the hands of the Kansas City Royals. Of his 10 outs, three of them came on the basepaths.
After Snell left, reliever Ryan Yarbrough gave up seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.
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Yarbrough gave up seven earned runs./TIM WIRT
Rays' manager Kevin Cash didn't think the toe affected Snell, however.
“No, not at all," Cash said. "I think he’ll back that up. Fastball came out good. I think all the pitches looked good. Couple sequencing things that were a little uncharacteristic – just got kind of repetitive with some pitches for whatever reason. Probably the only good thing to come out of this game
Perez finished the game playing first base./TIM WIRT
was that Blake got to 65 pitches or whatever, so he should be pretty close to full go his next time around. From a health standpoint he was 100 percent fine.
“We kind of prioritized the four ups (at bats). The pitch count wasn’t – we got to 60, 65. Four ups – Kyle (Snyder) really values the ups – and that allows him to get to six or whatever you want for the next time.”
Snell expected more.
“Frustrating, for sure," Snell said. "I was happy to be back out there, happy to feel it again. It was just a game where I felt different. I felt good, but it
Wendle tags Mondesi before breaking his wrist./TIM WIRT
was weird. Just frustrating. Have to be better. Happy with how I attacked the zone. I knew they were a selective team, but they were aggressive to start, and then they went back to selective. I threw a lot of good pitches, it almost looked like they knew what was coming so frustrating there. Have to be better, have to attack the zone more. I get to face them next week, which I can’t wait for. I watched the video today, and (I’ll) learn from it and get better. Frustrating one. To have the lead and then give them the run and not shut it down as well as I should have – it’s frustrating.
Cash saw his team give up 10./TIM WIRT
“It means I can go a lot longer next game. I’m frustrated with the walks. I need to be in the zone a little more. I was in the zone good to start, but then it tapered off towards the end. It’s just frustrating.”
The Rays took a 1-0 lead, then gave up eight straight runs.
The Rays lost infielder Joey Wendle to a broken wrist when he was hit by a pitch.
Lowe scored in the first inning./TIM WIRT
“It’s frustrating," Cash said. The ball got away from a lefty. Joey worked so hard to get back here quick and then this happens. Pretty unfortunate, but knowing Joey, just the character of the person, he’ll get on the rehab and get back as soon as possible. We don’t have an update on when, what the time frame is, but I would bet on Joey to speed it up real quick.”
The injury forced catcher Michael Perez to move to first base.
When the injury happened (to Joey Wendle), I was told that I might be the guy out there. I’ve been working at it and taking groundballs. I have to keep working and not forget about my defense, but take some groundballs as well.
“You stand there and catch the ball, just like a catcher. If you are a catcher, you can play anywhere.”
The Rays have today off, then open a series in Boston. Charlie Morton will pitch for the Rays against David Price in Friday's 7:10 p.m. game in Fenway Park.
Garcia can't make a catch in right field./TIM WIRT
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