Rays Strikeout Leader Ryan Pepiot Ready to Bounce Back Against Baltimore Orioles

TAMPA, Fla.— After a difficult 10-day road trip came to a close, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot spoke about the importance of getting some rest over the All-Star break.

Pepiot ushered in the much-needed break with a difficult outing, allowing seven hits and three earned runs in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox that completed a sweep of Tampa Bay on July 13. After some time away, Pepiot is ready to go for his next start against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.

“Mental reset of getting away from baseball as much as you can,” Pepiot said in the Rays clubhouse on Saturday. 

On Monday, Pepiot hopped on a boat with his wife and teammates Kevin Kelly, Garrett Cleavinger and their partners for some leisure and relaxation.

“I really enjoyed just getting away from baseball and enjoying hanging out with friends. So, you know, rest, relax, reset and just come back ready to go this weekend and onto the rest of the way.”

Pepiot, who leads Rays pitchers with 110 strikeouts, is 2-1 with a 4.29 ERA against the Orioles in four appearances, two of which happened this season.

In a June 16 start against Baltimore, Pepiot was dominant, notching a season-high 11 strikeouts in eight innings of work. His start on June 27 was a different story, as he gave up four earned runs and two walks in 1.2 innings pitched. The Rays ultimately suffered a historic 22-8 loss.

With a new opportunity looming, Pepiot looks to bounce back.

“The first one was really good, the second one wasn’t so good, so it's kind of a bounce back,” Pepiot said. “Forget about the bad ones.”

Pepiot will toe the mound against Baltimore southpaw Trevor Rogers as the Rays (52-47) look to sweep the Orioles (43-54) on Sunday at 12:10 p.m. ET.

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