SLICE OF GRAPEFRUIT—Yesterday the Rays defeated the Blue Jays, 6-5, at home and lost to the Orioles, 6-1, in Sarasota…it was their second and final split-squad day of the spring (also the spring opener on Feb 23)…at home, the Rays won on C.J. Cron’s walk-off, 2-run single, their first walk-off win in spring training in over three years…the last time was March 21, 2015 vs. MIN, on Allan Dykstra’s 2-run homer…they were a half inning away from their first spring shutout since March 19, 2017 vs. PHI.

Ê The Rays are 9-5-1 on the road, having outscored opponents, 79-52…at home, the Rays are 4-9 and have been outscored 75-49.

Ê The Rays would need to win two of their final 4 games to finish with at least 15 wins for the eighth time in the last 11 seasons…they never won at least 15 games in 10 seasons as the Devil Rays.

Ê Rays pitchers lead the majors with a .227 opp avg., ahead of the Astros (.240), and rank 6th in the majors and 5th in the Grapefruit League with a 4.03 ERA (247.2-IP, 111-ER).

ON THE BACKFIELDS—Yesterday RH Chris Archer and RH Chaz Roe pitched in minor league games against Orioles affiliates…Archer suffered a right forearm contusion after being struck by a ground ball in the 5th inning, and was removed as a precaution…he threw 58 pitches, 39 strikes (4-IP, 2-H, 1-R, 0-ER, 1-BB, 3-SO)…Roe had a strikeout in a perfect inning.

READING WITH THE RAYS—INF/OF Micah Johnson and OF Mal-lex Smith will read to children from the Boys & Girls Club of Charlotte County for a segment of Reading with the Rays, presented by Suncoast Credit Union…in addition, Rays mascot DJ Kitty will be in attendance…this event is today at noon on the main field at Charlotte Sports Park.

ON THE AIRWAVES—Both games this weekend will be broadcast on WDAE 620 AM and the Rays Radio Network, with Dave Wills and Andy Freed on the call…field coordinator Rocco Baldelli and OF Carlos Gómez are guests on this weekend’s Countdown to Opening Day radio show, air-ing today and tomorrow on WDAE 620 AM at 12:30 p.m.

STEADY IN THE BOOTH—Andy Freed and Dave Wills return to the Rays radio booth for a 14th season together…among all 30 major league broadcast teams, only two have a longer tenured full-season radio broad-cast duo than Dave and Andy: Detroit (Dan Dickerson & Jim Price enter-ing 16th season together) and San Francisco (Jon Miller & Dave Flemming entering 15th season together)…Neil Solondz begins his seventh season on the Rays Radio team as host of the pregame and postgame shows, fill-in play-by-play voice as well as This Week in Rays Baseball.

RAYS ON THE TUBE—”Tampa Bay Rays 2018 Season Preview” premieres tomorrow on FOX Sports Sun, following the conclusion of the Rays vs. Yankees game…throughout the episode, FOX Sports Sun Rays Live ana-lysts Orestes Destrade and Doug Waechter break down the pitching, hit-ting and defense of the club, as well as their 2018 outlooks.

OPENING DAY PRIMER—Next Thursday will be the first time in 50 years that every major league club opens on the same day…the Rays will open at home for the ninth straight year, tied for the longest active streak in the AL…local singer, worship leader, actor and teacher Belinda Womack will perform the national anthem…the ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Rays special assistant, baseball operations Tom Foley…see separate press release for much more Opening Day information.

TICKETS GETTING SCARCE—Limited tickets remain for Opening Day…the Rays have a chance to sell out their home opener for a 13th consecu-tive season, which would extend the longest current home opener sellout streak among the three major sports franchises in Tampa Bay…tickets are available at raysbaseball.com, the Tropicana Field Box Office or by calling 888-FAN-RAYS…the Rays are 55-21 in regular season games since 2008 when playing in front of home crowds of 30,000 or more.

ROSTER MAKEOVER—Of the 32 players on last season’s Open-ing Day roster or disabled list, only 14 still remain in the orga-nization: pitchers Matt Andri-ese, Chris Archer, Alex Colomé, Nathan Eovaldi, Kevin Gadea (outrighted), Austin Pruitt and Blake Snell, catchers Wilson Ramos and Jesús Sucre, infield-ers Matt Duffy, Brad Miller and Daniel Robertson, and outfield-ers Kevin Kiermaier and Mal-lex Smith…only four players remain from the 2015 Opening Day roster or disabled list, which was Kevin Cash’s first game as Rays manager: Andriese, Archer, Colomé and Kiermaier…Archer and Kiermaier are the only players remaining from the 2013 postseason roster (last playoff appearance)…Kiermaier was on the roster for that season’s AL Wild Card Game, but not the ALDS.

MINOR LEAGUE REPORT—In January, Baseball America listed the Rays at No. 5 in its Organizational Talent rankings of minor league prospects, their highest position since 2013 (No. 4)…this rating came before the Feb-ruary acquisitions of SS Jermaine Palacios, LH Anthony Banda and 2B Nick Solak…the publication’s Top 100 Prospects included six Rays, a fig-ure topped only by the Braves (8)…in addition to Baseball America’s rating, the Rays are ranked by MLB.com as the No. 4 farm system in baseball (No. 1 based just on position players), and by ESPN.com at No. 7.

UPCOMING PROBABLE PITCHERS & BROADCAST SCHEDULEUpcoming Games Time (ET) Probable Pitchers TV & RadioSat., 3/24 at PIT 1:05 p.m. Rays: LH Blake Snell, RH Daniel Hudson, RH Austin Pruitt, LH Jonny Venters WDAE 620 AM

Pirates: RH Ivan Nova, RH Tyler Glasnow, RH Dovydas NeverauskasSun., 3/25 vs. NYY 1:05 p.m. Rays: RH Andrew Kittredge, Relievers TBA FOX Sports Sun, WDAE 620 AM

Yankees: RH Brian Keller, RH Brady Lail, RH Adonis Rosa, LH Trevor Lane, RH Raynel EspinalMon. 3/26 at DET 1:05 p.m. Rays: RH Nathan Eovaldi, Relievers TBA FOX Sports Sun

Tigers: LH Francisco Liriano, Relievers TBATues. 3/27 vs. DET 12:35 p.m. Rays: RH Jake Faria, Relievers TBA MLB.com

Tigers: LH Matthew Boyd, Relievers TBA

TAMPA BAY RAYS (13-14-1) AT PITTSBURGH PIRATES (9-18-2)LH Blake Snell (0-0, 1.54) vs. RH Ivan Nova (0-2, 4.50)

Saturday, March 24, 2018 First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. Location: LECOM Park TV: FOX Sports Sun Radio: WDAE 620 AMSpring Game No.: 29 vs. AL: 10-12-1 vs. NL: 3-2-0 Home: 4-9-0 Road: 9-5-1

Day 39 of Spring Training 5 Days Until Opening Day—Thursday, March 29 vs. Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field (4:00 p.m.)

LINEUP at PITTSBURGHNo. Player Pos.

2 Denard Span (L) LF39 Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF

5 Matt Duffy 3B13 Brad Miller (L) 1B27 Carlos Gómez RF40 Wilson Ramos DH19 Curt Casali C11 Adeiny Hechavarria SS18 Joey Wendle (L) 2B

4 Blake Snell LHP

DAY-BY-DAY W-L IP H R ER BB SO HR HB WP FINAL2/25 at MIN -- 2.0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 L, 4-53/2 vs. PHI -- 2.0 1 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 L, 2-93/7 vs. BAL -- 3.0 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 L, 2-73/12 vs. TB * -- 4.1 2 1 1 1 8 0 0 0 --3/19 at NYY -- 4.2 3 1 1 3 9 0 0 0 W, 4-2

* indicates simulated game

TODAY’S STARTER at PIT—LH Blake Snell (0-0, 1.54 ERA) Ê 2017 Majors: 5-7, 4.04 ERA (129.1-IP, 58-ER) in 24 starts Ê Had three stints in the majors last season…began the year as the No.

4 starter and was optioned after 8 starts…did not miss a start be-tween his second and third stints as Alex Cobb was placed on the DL

Ê In his third stint, went 5-1 with a 2.84 ERA (57-IP, 18-ER) in 10 starts…recorded a career-high 13 SO in the Rays season-finale

TOMORROW’S STARTER vs. NYY—RH Andrew Kittredge (2-1, 5.56 ERA) Ê Was with the Rays for four stints last season, his first career major

league action…went 0-1 with a 1.76 ERA (15.1-IP, 3-ER) in 15 apps Ê Named to the International League midseason All-Star Team…went

6-1 with a 1.45 ERA (68.1-IP, 11-ER) in 41 apps (2 starts) with Durham Ê Made his major league debut on July 18 at OAK (0.2-IP, 0-R/ER) Ê Pitched to a 0.87 ERA (10.1-IP, 1-ER) in 10 apps during his final stint

DAY-BY-DAY W-L IP H R ER BB SO HR HB WP FINAL2/23 at BAL -- 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 W, 6-32/26 vs. TOR W-1 1.1 3 3 3 0 1 1 0 0 W, 7-43/2 vs. PHI -- 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L, 2-93/6 vs. BOS -- 2.0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L, 1-93/9 vs. MIN L-1 1.1 2 3 3 1 1 1 0 0 L, 3-43/14 vs. BOS * -- 2.0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 --3/17 at BOS -- 2.0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 L, 3-43/22 at TOR W-2 2.2 1 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 W, 5-3

* indicates minor league game

PLAYER C 1B 2B 3B SS LF CF RF DHAdames 8 38 7Álvarez 3Arroyo 30 16Bauers 39 6 9Boldt 7 6 10Brosseau 3 7Bruján 14Cabrera 4Carrillo 28Casali 5Chester 4 2Ciuffo 6 4Coats 15 50 30Cron 75 25Cronenworth 1 33Duffy 78Field 19 36 22 5Fraley 3 7Fox 11Gómez 55 8Gotta 3 6Gustave 3 2Haley 3Hechavarria 66 13

PLAYER C 1B 2B 3B SS LF CF RF DHJohnson 17 9 57Kelly 17Kiermaier 68 19Law 1Lowe, B 7 7Lowe, J 10Lowe, N 6Lukes 5 15Maris 15 5 3 2McCarthy 17 5 8 15Miller 27Milone 3 16 1Monell 18 22 8Moore 32 13Olmedo-Barrera 13 6Padlo 16Palacios 7Peña 4Ramos 69 9Rengifo 1Robertson 44 9 32 5 4Rodríguez 6Rondón 2Russell 9 8 4

PLAYER C 1B 2B 3B SS LF CF RF DHRutherford 1Sánchez 13 7Schimpf 5 15 7Smith 42 10 5 7Snyder 3 36 6 18 11 9Solak 25 4 8Span 72 10 5Sucre 54 15Sullivan 17 7Tenerowicz 8Velazquez 7 9 30 4 10Walls 4Wendle 77 5 13Whitley 1Williams 4 33Wong 18 66 3 9

2018 SPRING INNINGS PLAYED (“A” GAMES)

SPRING TRANSACTIONSFeb 17 Acquired 1B C.J. Cron from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for a player to be named (INF Luis Rengifo); designated OF/DH Corey Dickerson for assignment.Feb 17 Acquired minor league SS Jermaine Palacios from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for RH Jake Odorizzi.Feb 20 Acquired LH Anthony Banda and two players to be named from the Arizona Diamondbacks and minor league 2B Nick Solak from the New York Yankees in a three-team

trade in exchange for OF Steven Souza Jr.Feb 22 Acquired RH Daniel Hudson, minor league INF Tristan Gray and cash considerations from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for OF/DH Corey Dickerson.March 3 Signed OF Carlos Gómez to a one-year contract; designated INF Ryan Schimpf for assignment.March 5 Traded INF Ryan Schimpf to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations.March 6 Reassigned INF Grant Kay to minor league camp.March 7 Released RH Evan Scribner and RH Dustin McGowan.March 9 Reassigned RH R.J. Alaniz, C Nick Ciuffo, RH Edwin Fierro and RH Forrest Snow to minor league camp; optioned RH Brent Honeywell to Triple-A Durham.March 10 Reassigned INF Jake Cronenworth and INF Nick Solak to minor league camp.March 11 Released LH Dan Runzler; reassigned 1B/OF Joe McCarthy, C Brett Sullivan and RH Ryan Weber to minor league camp; optioned INF Willy Adames, INF Christian

Arroyo, 1B/OF Jake Bauers, RH Diego Castillo, RH José Mujica, RH Jaime Schultz, OF Justin Williams and RH Hunter Wood to Durham.March 16 Reassigned LH Vidal Nuño to minor league camp; optioned RH Chih-Wei Hu to Durham.March 18 Reassigned LH Kyle Bird, C Xorge Carrillo, RH Ian Gibaut, RH Cody Hall, LH Adam Kolarek, C Johnny Monell and RH Colton Murray to minor league camp; optioned

LH Anthony Banda and RH Ryne Stanek to Durham.March 19 Reassigned INF Andrew Velazquez to minor league camp.March 21 Signed C Curt Casali to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

RAYS SPRING TRAINING HISTORYYEAR W-L-T ATT.2018 13-14-1 56,7042017 12-16-5 81,7522016 12-13-2 68,5662015 15-13-2 80,4062014 16-7-4 78,2642013 15-17-2 90,935

YEAR W-L-T ATT.2012 10-16-6 87,9162011 15-14-2 95,8592010 20-8-2 97,9712009 15-16-1 103,255 2008 18-8-2 54,9602007 10-19-2 79,044

YEAR W-L-T ATT.2006 13-16-1 70,7562005 13-16-0 61,2612004 11-8-0 43,9162003 8-19-3 51,3242002 10-16-1 49,0432001 12-15-1 57,081

YEAR W-L-T ATT.2000 14-17-0 67,0891999 14-14-1 59,2301998 12-18-0 66,781

278-299-38 1,498,609

2018 TAMPA BAY RAYS SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULEDAY DATE OPPONENT SITE R/TV TIME/SCORE W-L-T WINNER LOSER ATT.Fri. Feb 23 Pittsburgh Charlotte County M W, 6-3 1-0-0 Pruitt (1-0) McRae (0-1) 5,141

@Baltimore Sarasota W, 6-3 2-0-0 Chirinos (1-0) Wright (0-1) 5,203Sat. Feb 24 @Boston Fort Myers W L, 3-4 2-1-0 Elias (1-0) Faria (0-1) 9,466Sun. Feb 25 @Minnesota Lee County W/F L, 4-5 2-2-0 Jaye (1-0) Schultz (0-1) 5,461Mon. Feb 26 Toronto Charlotte County M W, 7-4 3-2-0 Kittredge (1-0) Dermody (0-1) 3,627Tues. Feb 27 Baltimore Charlotte County M L, 1-2 3-3-0 Araujo (1-0) Pruitt (1-1) 2,762Wed. Feb 28 @Minnesota Lee County W, 3-1 4-3-0 Yarbrough (1-0) Slegers (0-1) 3,689Thurs. March 1 Baltimore Charlotte County M L, 2-5 4-4-0 Mesa (1-1) Schultz (0-2) 2,819Fri. March 2 Philadelphia Charlotte County M L, 2-9 4-5-0 Nola (1-1) Colomé (0-1) 3,560Sat. March 3 @Detroit Lakeland W W, 7-4 5-5-0 De León (1-0) Soto (0-1) 6,482Sun. March 4 @New York-AL Tampa W/F W, 9-1 6-5-0 Eovaldi (1-0) Chapman (0-1) 10,303Tues. March 6 Boston Charlotte County M L, 1-9 6-6-0 Velázquez (1-0) Hu (0-1) 5,353Wed. March 7 Baltimore Charlotte County M L, 2-7 6-7-0 Mesa Jr. (2-1) Banda (0-1) 3,035Thurs. March 8 @Boston Fort Myers T, 6-6 6-7-1 -- -- 9,911Fri. March 9 Minnesota Charlotte County M L, 3-4 6-8-1 Berríos (1-0) Kittredge (1-1) 3,643Sat. March 10 @Philadelphia Clearwater W W, 5-3 7-8-1 Jennings (1-0) Neris (0-1) 8,302Sun. March 11 Minnesota Charlotte County W/F L, 5-6 7-9-1 Slegers (1-0) Faria (0-2) 4,417Tues. March 13 @Philadelphia Clearwater L, 3-6 7-10-1 Casimiro (1-0) Pruitt (1-2) 8,286Wed. March 14 @Pittsburgh Bradenton W, 9-3 8-10-1 Chirinos (2-0) Nova (0-2) 6,218Thurs. March 15 Minnesota Charlotte County M L, 1-8 8-11-1 Gibson (1-1) Eovaldi (1-1) 4,547Fri. March 16 @Minnesota Lee County W, 11-1 9-11-1 Faria (1-2) Berríos (1-1) 5,702Sat. March 17 @Boston Fort Myers W L, 3-4 9-12-1 Barnes (1-0) Stanek (0-1) 9,903Sun. March 18 Detroit Charlotte County W W, 10-5 10-12-1 Archer (1-0) Lewicki (0-1) 6,912Mon. March 19 @New York-AL Tampa W W, 4-2 11-12-1 Colomé (1-1) Warren (0-1) 9,951Tues. March 20 @Baltimore Sarasota W CANCELLED—RAINWed. March 21 Boston Charlotte County M/F L, 3-8 11-13-1 Walden (1-0) Yarbrough (1-1) 6,134Thurs. March 22 @Toronto Dunedin W, 5-3 12-13-1 Kittredge (2-1) Barnes (0-1) 4,356Fri. March 23 Toronto Charlotte County M W, 6-5 13-13-1 Kolarek (1-0) Fisk (0-1) 4,754

@Baltimore Sarasota L, 1-6 13-14-1 Bundy (2-2) Murray (0-1) 6,192Sat. March 24 @Pittsburgh Bradenton W 1:05 p.m.Sun. March 25 New York-AL Charlotte County W/F 1:05 p.m.Mon. March 26 @Detroit Lakeland F 1:05 p.m.Tues. March 27 Detroit Tropicana Field M 12:35 p.m.Home Games shaded gray RADIO: WDAE 620 AM/95.3 FM (W), MLB.com (M) TELEVISION: FOX Sports Sun (F)