After 28 hours of travel, Curtis Mead’s first Rays start a family affair
DETROIT — Curtis Mead’s parents and sister were in the U.S. Customs line at Los Angeles International airport Friday evening when they saw something on their phone that caused them to let out some cheers and tears.
Curtis was a late-inning substitute for the Rays in their game against the Tigers, and on the first pitch he saw he lashed a single to rightfield.
“We didn’t even know he’d gotten into the game,” said Sandy Mead, his mom. “We were crying. The customs people probably thought that we were fruitcakes.”
With a red-eye flight to Detroit still to come in their 28-hour journey that started in their hometown of Adelaide, Australia, to see Curtis’ first start on Saturday, his father, Tim, joked they were “a little bit” mad at him for delivering before they got there.
“But it’s good for him,” Tim said. “All the nerves are gone now, hopefully, and he can carry on (Saturday).” That didn’t happen, though, as Mead went 0-for-3, striking out twice, and he was hit by a pitch.
Sandy said it had been an emotional day and a half since Curtis called them (early Friday in Adelaide) with news of his callup. “He was crying and then we were all crying," she said.
And a hectic time. “He rang us at 6 o’clock Friday morning Australian time and we were on a plane at 4 o’clock that afternoon," Sandy added.
They landed in Detroit around 6 a.m. Saturday, but with the Rays playing at 1:10 p.m. there was no time for naps. “Shower and coffee and that’s it,” said his sister, Jamie.
Sitting in the Comerica Park stands before the game, along with Mead’s girlfriend, Delaney Wood, and her parents; two of Meads agents; and one of his former coaches, it was still hard for the Meads to believe.
“It’s surreal," Sandy said. “It really is very surreal."
Jamie went further: “It’s insane."
Curtis is just the 34th native Australian to play in the majors, which makes it a matter of national pride as well.
“The reaction back home, because the baseball community is such a tight community, has just been phenomenal,” said Sandy, noting there was coverage of Curtis’ promotion on the national news.
Added Tim: “Our phones are blowing up."
The Meads plan to head next to St. Petersburg for the six-game homestand that starts Tuesday before returning home.
McClanahan to see specialist
Starter Shane McClanahan will fly to Los Angeles on Sunday for a Monday appointment with Dr. Neal Elattrache, the first of several specialists he is expected to see to determine the cause, severity and treatment options for the forearm tightness that landed him on the injured list.
Reliever Cole Sulser returning
Cole Sulser, who debuted with the Rays in 2019, was claimed off waivers from Arizona. Sulser, 33, is 7-13, 3.87 with 15 saves over parts of five seasons with the Rays, Orioles, Marlins and Diamondbacks. He missed much of this season due to a right shoulder strain, and he was designated for assignment after posting a 6.75 ERA in four games. When Sulser reports, the Rays will have to make room on the 40- and 26-man active rosters.
Miscellany
Jose Siri on Saturday struck out in a career-high 17th straight game. ... Reliever Shawn Armstrong has a 16-inning scoreless streak. ... The Rays are 14-6 against lefty starters. ... Harold Ramirez had a good time being mic-ed up for Friday’s game. The AppleTV+ cameras showed him cheering for himself (“Here we go, Harold”) and telling reporter Tricia Whitaker he wants to wear the mic more often since he got three hits. ... Bench coach Rodney Linares was among several Rays staffers who said they were planning to attend the WWE SummerSlam wrestling event at adjacent Ford Field on Saturday night.
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