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Rays at first-place Yankees lineups on a sunny Saturday

After Friday’s walkoff loss that flipped the top of the AL East, Rays have Blake Snell on the mound seeking a bounceback.
 
Blake Snell will be on the mound for the Rays today. [MONICA HERNDON | Times]
Blake Snell will be on the mound for the Rays today. [MONICA HERNDON | Times]
Published May 18, 2019|Updated May 18, 2019

UPDATE, 11:57: Kratz will be the fourth catcher Snell has worked with in his last five games, which Cash acknowledged is challenging. But he also said Kratz is skilled at being a quick study and fitting in, and that Snell was understanding and nonchalant about it. ... Cash said he was impressed with how Alvarado handled himself after the tough loss, and has full confidence in having him back out there with a game on the line if needed. ... Wood said it took longer than expected to get back to the majors, but he feels good and is ready to go. ... The Rays are 5-15 at Yankee Stadium since the start of the 2017 season, and 11-30 since the Sept. 10, 2014. ... Matt Duffy will continue his rehab with the Stone Crabs tonight in Clearwater and is set to play shortstop.

DEVELOPING: After Friday’s staggering walkoff loss in which Jose Alvarado blew a two-run lead in the ninth dropped the Rays out of first place for the first time since March, they seek to bounce back against the Yankees today.

And they feel they have the right man on the mound in Blake Snell, who has pitched much better his last two starts. He will be working with another new catcher, as veteran Erik Kratz, who was acquired Thursday from the Giants, gets his first start.

The challenge is that the Yankees also are starting one of their best, Masahiro Tanaka, in a rematch of last Sunday’s game at the Trop.

The Rays made a roster move Saturday morning, activating Hunter Wood, who had been out with a sore shoulder, from the injured list, and optioning Austin Pruitt back to Triple-A.

Here is the Rays lineup:

Meadows lf

Pham dh

Choi 1b

Diaz 3b

B. Lowe 2b

Garcia rf

Kiermaier cf

Adames ss

Kratz c

Snell p

And here is the Yankees lineup:

LeMaheiu 2b

Voit 1b

Hicks cf

Sanchez dh

Torres ss

Urshela 3b

Maybin rf

Romine c

Gardner lf

Tanaka p