Rays starter Jake Odorizzi was rolling merrily along Saturday against the host Yankees. But he has struggled the second time around lineups this season - and he certainly did against New York.
He retired the first nine batters he faced, but a leadoff single in the fourth by Jacoby Ellsbury signaled disaster. Odorizzi gave up a two-run homer to Mark Teixeira that inning and opened the fifth by surrendering a double, walk and two-run double to Ellsbury before being pulled. He finished having given up three earned runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Odorizzi, whose ERA now rests at a disturbing 6.83, has yielded 21 earned runs in his last 21 1/3 innings. He is scheduled to start again next Friday against visiting Cleveland, but his spot in the rotation could be getting tenuous.