Rays, Nationals turn to struggling pitchers in series opener

Time is running out for the Tampa Bay Rays.

As August winds down, the Rays are lingering on the fringe of the American League wild-card race with three teams between them and the Seattle Mariners, who hold the final spot.

A ray of hope has been provided by the schedule makers. On Friday night, Tampa Bay begins a three-game series at the downtrodden Washington Nationals.

That could provide a springboard into seven home games against the Mariners and the Cleveland Guardians, two of the teams they are chasing.

Tampa Bay comes in having dropped two of three at Cleveland despite getting strong starting pitching in each game.

"That says we're not playing well enough because if we get three quality starts (in a series), we should be winning more than one game," manager Kevin Cash said.

The Rays will start right-hander Adrian Houser (7-4, 2.88 ERA), who was obtained from the Chicago White Sox last month, in Friday's opener.

Houser joined the Rays with a sparkling 2.10 ERA but has allowed 13 earned runs over 22 innings in his first four starts for Tampa Bay. Last time out, he gave up four runs in 6 1/3 innings but picked up a win against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Houser is 0-1 with a sparkling 1.15 ERA in five career appearances (three starts) against Washington.

Meanwhile, the Rays will avoid the top of the Nationals' rotation in the series, drawing struggling left-hander Mitchell Parker (7-14, 6.01) in the opener.

Parker's August was bad beyond what Houser endured. The 25-year-old went 0-4 with a 12.00 ERA in five starts. He allowed 30 hits -- seven of them home runs -- in 21 innings while striking out 13 and walking 11. Last time out, he gave up six runs on six hits in five innings of a loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Parker, who actually retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced that day, remains in the rotation for now.

"We're trying to figure out here who can do the job," interim manager Miguel Cairo said. "We've got to figure out who can go out there and take an opportunity. The best opportunity is there. I want everybody to take advantage of that. Everyone is being evaluated."

In his lone previous start against Tampa Bay last year, Parker took the loss despite limiting the Rays to two runs over five innings.

The Nationals return home after dropping the final five games of a six-game road trip. On Wednesday, they were routed by the New York Yankees 11-2.

Backup catcher Drew Millas exited the game with a fracture and dislocation of his left second finger.

The Yankees hit 10 home runs in the series and outscored the Nationals 26-8, with 17 of their runs coming via the longball.

"We got an off day (Thursday). So just gotta be able to wipe the slate clean," Washington's James Wood said. "Just kind of forget about the past three games and just try to bounce back and start with a win in the next game."

Tampa Bay led 3-2 going into the ninth inning at Cleveland on Wednesday but Nolan Jones hit a tying solo homer off Pete Fairbanks with one out and the Guardians won 4-3 in 10 innings.

"Losing that one doesn't feel good," Fairbanks said. "I threw 13 pitches. Twelve of them were good and one of them went 14,000 feet into the Cleveland jet stream."