Rays Righty Ryan Pepiot Eager to Face Best Team in Baseball Following Career-Best Start

TAMPA, Fla.— After pitching a career-high eight innings and fanning 11 batters in a 7-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot will face the best team in baseball this weekend.

Pepiot will toe the rubber for the Rays in Game 2 of their series against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. Looking for his fifth win of the season, the 27-year-old is relishing the challenge.

"Yeah, I think it's a great test. They've been playing really good baseball, but so have we," Pepiot said in the Rays clubhouse on Friday. "So I think it's a good opportunity, a good chance for them to come into town here, and us try to take a series."

In their last 17 series, the Rays are 11-4-2. Moreover, they have won 20 of 28 games.

"That would just really show that, you know, we can step we can stack up against anybody," Pepiot added. "The Mets were really hot when we took it to them."

In 15 starts, Pepiot owns a 4-6 record with a 3.11 ERA and 84 strikeouts to 26 walks. The Tigers are fifth in Major League Baseball in runs scored and third in the American in slugging percentage.

It doesn't matter; Pepiot is fearless.

"I'm not scared of anybody," Pepiot said. "I think it's just a great opportunity to see what this team can really, truly do and continue this run that we're on right now and kind of come away with a series win here and put all of us forward even more."