Shane McClanahan for American League Cy Young Award winner? Why not? It's easy to make a case for him. The lefty leads the league with a 1.81 ERA and also has the lowest WHIP at 0.85. He was No. 1 in strikeouts, too, until getting passed by Corbin Burnes, who pitched yesterday.

How are the Pirates going to touch McClanahan? They're not. Pittsburgh has the third-lowest batting average and ranks 28th in runs. One of the Pirates' few respectable run producers, Ke'Bryan Hayes, has missed the last two games due to a shoulder injury.

Pittsburgh has hung in against the Rays losing by only one run during the first two games of this series. I don't see the Pirates keeping this one close, though, with Roansy Contreras going against the dominant McClanahan. Contreras has a 5.30 road ERA. He's surrendered a home run in each of his last three starts.

The Pirates have only one dependable relief pitcher, closer David Bednar. And he failed the Pirates in Saturday's loss. That has to hurt the Pirates' fragile psyche.

Oh, yes, the Pirates are 13-41 the past 54 times they've faced a lefty starter on the road.

There's a chance the Rays get Wander Franco back today, too, from a quad injury that has caused him to miss 23 games.