With the MLB trade deadline passed, the Los Angeles Dodgers are set to begin their August schedule with a series against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Dodgers finalized their roster with several key moves, trading pitcher Dustin May to the Boston Red Sox and outfielder James Outman to the Minnesota Twins, while reacquiring relief pitcher Brock Stewart.
Their opponents, the Tampa Bay Rays, have faced a challenging season, holding a 54-56 record and going 4-9 since the All-Star break. The team’s difficulties began last fall when Hurricane Milton severely damaged the roof of Tropicana Field. Repairs are scheduled to begin this month, with a completion date targeted for April 2026. In the interim, the Rays are playing home games at George Steinbrenner Field, the spring training facility of the New York Yankees. With a capacity of 10,046, it is currently the smallest ballpark in Major League Baseball.
At the trade deadline, the Rays traded reliever Zack Littell but acquired Griffin Jax, one of the top relievers on the market. They retained core players like closer Pete Fairbanks, Yandy Díaz, and Brandon Lowe. In a transaction with Los Angeles, the Rays also acquired catcher Hunter Feduccia as part of a three-team trade, while the Dodgers received 6’10” pitcher Paul Gervase.
Friday’s series opener will feature Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers. Kershaw is looking to rebound from his worst outing of the season, where he allowed four runs in 4⅔ innings against the Boston Red Sox.
He will face Rays right-hander Shane Baz (8-7, 4.61 ERA), whose recent performances have been inconsistent. While Baz allowed just two earned runs over five innings against the Cincinnati Reds in his last start, he was tagged for eight runs in four innings in his prior outing against the Chicago White Sox.
The series, played in daytime temperatures expected to reach the mid-90s, will also mark the return of Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell to face his former team on Saturday.
Friday Game Info
- Teams: Dodgers at Rays
- Ballpark: Steinbrenner Field, Tampa
- Start time: 4:35 p.m. PT
- TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)
- Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
