A lesson for the Rays: Keep an eye on the man at first base
ST. PETERSBURG — Almost every time a ball is put in play off Zack Littell, he tosses it out and gets a new one. And in most situations, timeout is called after an out with runners on base as players return to their position.
For some reason, neither happened in the fifth inning Wednesday when, with Nolan Schanuel on first, Zach Neto hit a soft pop up that Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz caught.
As a result, thanks to a lapse in attention by Littell, Diaz and Rays middle infielders Curtis Mead and Jose Caballero, Schanuel made a heads-up play that led to an Angels run.
After making the catch, Diaz flipped the ball to Littell, who had drifted over in case he needed to cover first. As Littell walked slowly back to the mound, Schanuel — who is not the speediest Angel — broke for second. Littell eventually heard someone yell that Schanuel was running, but neither Mead nor Caballero were aware, nor close enough to second for there to be any kind of play.
Worse, Anthony Rendon followed with a single that scored Schanuel, putting the Angels up 2-1 in a game they won 5-4.
“It’s a good job by him to be heads up on that, and obviously really frustrating that it turned into a run right there,” Littell said. “But once it started happening, there wasn’t a whole lot we could do, just kind of give him the base.
“I still don’t think Cabby and Curtis turned around even when — I don’t know who yelled, it wasn’t super loud — but I obviously wasn’t going to run him down.”
Littell said he doesn’t know why he didn’t ask for a new ball, maybe because it was a soft out and Diaz gave it right back to him. And he was similarly perplexed why the umps hadn’t stopped play, that “in general time gets called there most of the time.”
Manager Kevin Cash said there may have been reasons — such as “an assumption” that time was out — but noted the infielders’ backs were turned and Littell was walking back to the mound. “We’ve got to not allow that to happen,” he said.
Ryan Pepiot ready for early start
Ryan Pepiot says he is a morning guy, rarely sleeping past 8 a.m. So starting Thursday’s 1:10 p.m. matinee against the Angels shouldn’t be a big deal.
“The only difference is when you wake up in the morning, rather than having a bunch of hours extra in the day to go to the beach or whatever, you just kill some time ... and go to the park,” he said.
The bigger issue will be Pepiot’s ability to throw strikes and keep the ball in the park.
Both have been issues at times during Pepiot’s first three starts (including two homers in allowing four runs over five innings in his Saturday start against the Giants), and a reason he has a 1-2, 5.40 record.
But Cash said the Rays are pleased overall with what they’ve seen from Pepiot and the other starters.
“I thought his last start was really good,” Cash said. “A young guy that we are thrilled with where he’s at.”
Pepiot’s issue Saturday in giving up two homers was not unique. Going into play Wednesday, Rays pitchers had allowed a majors-most 28 homers overall.
“We’re getting clipped by the home run ball a little bit and it’s putting some runs on the board,” Cash said. “But if you look at the overall body of work, whether it’s a five-, six-, seven-inning start, we’re really doing a nice job. We’re pitching efficiently. We’re getting our strikeouts. We’re making big pitches when we need to.”
Josh Lowe starting rehab, Osleivis Basabe injured
Outfielder Josh Lowe (right oblique strain) is set to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday with Triple-A Durham at Worcester, Mass.
The Rays aren’t quite sure how much time Lowe will need, as he played in only two spring games before initially being sidelined by left hip inflammation before straining his oblique.
“Well just see where it goes,” Cash said. “Pretty unique situation not having really any spring. I can’t say that I won’t get excited if he starts getting some big results right away. But you’ve got to be smart because we want to keep him here. Once he gets here we want to have him here for the rest of the way.”
Cash said Lowe will get time in both rightfield and centerfield, which thus far has been manned only by Jose Siri.
Also on the rehab watch, Taj Bradley (pec strain) threw about 50 pitches Wednesday in a simulated game.
The Rays lost some of their infield depth at Durham when Osleivis Basabe, who filled in last August when Wander Franco was sidelined, fractured his right wrist.
Basabe was hit by a pitch from Naoyuki Uwasawa, who was in camp with the Rays on a minor-league deal, then implemented his assignment clause and was traded to Boston for $50,000.
New York state of mind
The weekend series at Yankee Stadium will be a homecoming for a couple Rays.
Outfielder Richie Palacios, a Brooklyn native, will be playing in the Bronx for the first time, having been to the old and new Yankee Stadiums as a fan several times.
He said he expects 400-500 relatives and friends to attend during the three-game series: “It’ll definitely be exciting.”
Palacios also has plans to attend the Saturday night Knicks NBA playoff game with his dad and “eat a ton of pizza.”
Catcher Ben Rortvedt spent part of last season, and all of this spring, with the Yankees. “The people over there are great; it will be good to be back there,” he said.
Miscellany
With the bullpen used heavily again, lefty Jacob Lopez is likely to be promoted from Durham to provide multi-inning coverage. ... Siri may get his first day off of the season Thursday, having played every inning of the first 19 games. … Having split the first six games, the Rays are trying to avoid losing a season series to the Angels for the first time since 2014. ... In 66 games against the Rays, Mike Trout is hitting .313 with 24 homers and 47 RBIs. His 1.093 career OPS is the highest for any player with a minimum 100 plate appearances.
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