Chandler Simpson is keeping it simple.
The Tampa Bay Rays rookie speedster knows what is expected of him, and he’s doing his best to deliver.
Fresh off recording three stolen bases, Simpson will look for an encore on Wednesday when the Rays vie to win the rubber match of the three-game series against the visiting Chicago White Sox.
“I just know what I’m supposed to do and try not to go outside of that,” Simpson said, per the Tampa Bay Times. “And I know that what I’m supposed to do is what’s going to help the team win.”
Rays manager Kevin Cash has enjoyed seeing the 24-year-old Simpson work his way around the bases. The outfielder has stolen 30 bases in 58 games.
“He knows his strengths,” Cash said. “He’s going to try to maximize his strengths, and that’s put pressure on defense with contact ability, and then once he gets on base, the whole ballpark, the whole stadium knows he’s looking to run.
“So no, I don’t think he has shown one time trying to do something different, other than be who he is.”
Jose Caballero had a two-run single to highlight a four-run second inning in Tampa Bay’s 4-3 victory on Tuesday night.
Caballero had two of the five hits for the Rays on Tuesday, helping his club snap its two-game skid and halt a season-high four-game winning streak by the White Sox.
Chicago’s Jonathan Cannon (4-7, 4.18 ERA) will be tasked with keeping Simpson and Caballero at bay on Wednesday when he gets the start against Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley (6-6, 4.35) in a battle of right-handers.
Cannon, 25, improved to 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA in three outings this month after allowing one run on five hits in seven innings of a 10-1 victory in Pittsburgh last Friday.
He struggled in his lone career appearance against Tampa Bay, permitting four runs on eight hits — including two homers — in five innings of a no-decision on April 27, 2024, in just his third career start. The White Sox won 8-7 in 10 innings.
Like Cannon, Bradley got the win in his most recent trip to the mound. Bradley scattered three hits over six scoreless innings in the Rays’ 11-1 romp over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
Bradley, 24, has yet to face the White Sox in his young career.
Chicago’s Colson Montgomery launched his first career homer in the majors on Tuesday after he led off the seventh with a 359-foot blast. Unfortunately for the White Sox, they were able to muster only six hits and saw their season-high four-game winning streak come to a halt.
Luis Robert Jr. is expected to return to the lineup after being held out on Wednesday. He has two homers and eight RBIs to highlight his current eight-game hitting streak.
“(He is) plugged in,” White Sox manager Will Venable said of Robert. “The way he was running around out there in Pittsburgh, and a hot day yesterday, just want to keep him fresh and feeling good.”
Chase Meidroth had an RBI single on Tuesday, one day removed from collecting four hits in Chicago’s 8-3 victory in the series opener. He has eight hits — including four doubles — in his past four games.