Behind now-starter Griffin Jax, Rays chase series win vs. Orioles

The Griffin Jax Experiment is going well, which is just fine, of course, with the Tampa Bay Rays right-hander.

A career reliever who has made the transition to starting every fifth day, Jax will take the mound Tuesday night in the second contest of the three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Tampa Bay opened the series by blasting Baltimore 16-6 on Monday behind a season highs in runs and hits (18).

Six Rays had multi-hit outings as the team moved to 17-5 at home and 21-4 against the American League.

Judging by how the Rays have turned relievers into starters, Jax (1-2, 3.91 ERA) is doing it with the right organization.

In 11 relief appearances, he was a dismal 1-2 with an 8.00 ERA, with the opposition batting .294.

But in four starts since April 26, Jax has no record and a 1.29 ERA over 14 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on 10 hits with eight strikeouts and seven walks.

His best and longest outing was Wednesday, when he scattered four hits over five scoreless in Tampa Bay's 5-3 loss to Toronto in 10 innings.

The Rays have had success in mound transformations: They turned relievers Drew Rasmussen, Jeffrey Springs and Zack Littell into quality starters.

"It's the right organization to do this with," Jax said. "I've been pretty adamant about that from the start. If there was a place to do it, it was going to be here."

In 10 career relief appearances against Baltimore, Jax is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings, with 12 strikeouts and seven hits allowed.

The Rays reinstated starter Joe Boyle on Monday and placed reliever Cole Sulser (lower back strain) on the 15-day injured list.

The Orioles are 6-12 in their past 18 games but might get a lineup boost soon.

Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, was removed from his rehab game at Triple-A Norfolk and joined the big club in Florida.

The 22-year-old infielder has played in 22 games over three rehab assignments after having right hamate surgery. He could make his season debut against the Rays.

Baltimore lost infielder Jordan Westburg (Tommy John surgery) for the season on Wednesday.

The Orioles could use a jolt that gives them momentum and helps them move up in the American League East standings, which is topped distantly by Tampa Bay and the runner-up New York Yankees.

Monday's Baltimore starter, Trevor Rogers, was blunt about his outing, which resulted in eight runs (seven earned) and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

"Excuse my French, but they beat my ass tonight, and I let down everyone in this room," the left-hander said following his fifth defeat in his past five starts. "I'm just not doing my job right now. This loss is on me."

Right-hander Kyle Bradish (2-5, 4.21 ERA) will try to get Baltimore back on track. Bradish was excellent his last time out, allowing one hit in six scoreless innings in a 7-0 victory over the Yankees on Wednesday.

He is 2-3 with a 5.94 ERA in seven career starts against the Rays.

--Field Level Media