Rays’ Jeffrey Springs remains consistent — and good
MINNEAPOLIS — Jeffrey Springs makes it sound so simple and look so easy.
But what he has done since moving from the bullpen into the Rays rotation in early May has been remarkable. And more impressive each time he takes the mound.
On Sunday the lefty threw 5⅓ shutout innings against an explosive Twins lineup, and that was after six zeroes against the potent Cardinals in his previous outing. Four of his seven starts have been scoreless, with a 2-2, 1.72 record, and the Rays winning five of the games. (His overall ERA over 49⅔ innings in 16 games is 1.45.)
“He’s not doing anything different start to start, it’s pretty consistent,’’ manager Kevin Cash said. “Most of your good pitchers are consistent with how they go about it. I just think he’s putting himself (in a position) where he’s pitching with confidence and his stuff is good. And throwing early strikes, that’s going to help any pitcher.’’
Springs’ only frustration Sunday was his pitch count getting too high — a one-out walk in the sixth pushing him to a career-high 94 — causing Cash to go to the bullpen.
Otherwise, he said he is just trying to throw strikes, get quick outs and put the Rays in a position to win his starts.
“Definitely just trying to build off each one,’’ he said. “Just trying to learn from the things, the adjustments I need to make from outing to outing.’’
New look for Brett Phillips
Brett Phillips is a man of his word.
In discussing alternative remedies to the career-worst 0-for-31 skid he was taking into Saturday’s game, Phillips said he would be willing to shave his longtime beard if he got a hit.
The Seminole High product singled in the first inning and said minutes after the game ended that he took razor to face. That made for the first time Phillips, 28, can recall being clean-shaven since August 2019, when he was in the Royals’ minor-league system and facial hair was not allowed.
“I look slightly younger,’’ he said.
Medical matters
Shortstop Wander Franco, on the injured list since May 31 with a right quad strain after a series of other leg issues, will ramp up his activity on Monday, getting on the field “to start doing some agility stuff, testing the quad, the legs out, lower half out.’’ … Second baseman Brandon Lowe, out since mid-May with a lower back issue, is continuing his step-by-step progression of returning to baseball activity, now taking swings at balls flipped to him. … Right-hander Luis Patino, out since early April with an oblique strain, made a second Florida Complex League outing Saturday (striking out five of eight batters over two innings) and now heads to Triple-A Durham to begin a multiple-start rehab assignment on Thursday.
Miscellany
Centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier dropped a fly ball, his first error since June 24. … Ryan Yarbrough worked five innings Sunday, allowing five runs in his first start for Durham after being demoted June 7. … In his postgame media session, Cash noted it was the six-year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and said “we’re still thinking about the victims and the families.’’ … As part of Major League Baseball’s Play Ball Weekend, the Rays hosted events Saturday at West Tampa Little League and Sunday at St. Petersburg’s Fossil Park program, making donations, staging clinics and providing each participant with a team hat and a bat-and-ball set.
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