POSSIBILITY OF PITCHING: No starting lineup named.
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: rays -209, pirates +176; over/under is 7 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays take on the Pittsburgh Pirates to kick off a three-game streak.
Tampa Bay has a 37-32 overall record and a 22-15 record in home games. The Rays have a record of 22-5 in games as they have scored at least five runs.
Pittsburgh is 12-20 in road games and 29-40 overall. The Pirates are 10th in the NL with 67 home runs, averaging one per game.
Friday’s match is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
BEST PERFORMERS: Yandy Diaz has seven doubles and three home runs for the Race. G-Man Choi is 10 of 27 with a double and a home run in his last 10 games.
Brian Reynolds leads the Pirates with 23 extra base hits (eight doubles, three triples and 12 home runs). Jack Suwinski is 7-of-30 with a double, three home runs and three RBIs in the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Race: 3-7, .228 avg, 2.33 ERA, one run behind
Pirates: 5-5, .200 avg, 4.85 ERA, two points behind.
INJURIES: Rays: Manuel Margot: 60 days IL (knee), Kevin Kirmeier: 10 days IL (thigh), Drew Rasmussen: 15 days IL (hamstring), Andrew Kittredge: 60 days IL (elbow), Mike Zunino: 10 days IL (shoulder), JP Feyereisen: 15 days IL (shoulder), Wander Franco: 10 days IL (quadriceps), JT Chargois: 60 days IL (oblique), Brandon Lowe: 10 days IL (back), Luis Patino: 60 days IL (oblique), Brendan McKay: 60-day IL (shoulder), Pete Fairbanks: 60-day IL (latitude), Tyler Glasnow: 60-day IL (elbow), Nick Anderson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Yonny Chirinos: 60 -Day IL (elbow)
Pirates: Jake Marisnik: 60 days IL (thumb), Zach Thompson: 15 days IL (forearm), Yoshitomo Tsutsugo: 10 days IL (back), Dillon Peters: 15 days IL (back), Tukupita Marcano: 10-Day IL (covid-19), Canaan Smith-Njigba: 60-Day IL (wrist), Duane Underwood Jr.: 15-Day IL (covid-19), Josh VanMeter: 10-Day IL (finger), Ben Gamel : 10 days IL (hamstring), Kevin Newman: 60 days IL (groin), Roberto Perez: 60 days IL (hamstring), Greg Allen: 60 days IL (hamstring), Blake Söderlind: 60 days IL (elbow), Nick Mears : 60-Day IL (elbow)
