Rays' Zack Littell: Plagued by long ball in sixth loss
Rotowire
Littell (6-6) was charged with the loss Wednesday against the Red Sox after giving up four runs on eight hits and no walks in six innings. He struck out six.
Littell's control remained nearly impeccable, as he issued one walk or fewer in his 10th straight start, but his struggles containing the long ball resurfaced. The 29-year-old right-hander served up a whopping four homers for the second time already this year, and he now inauspiciously leads the majors in homers allowed (21). Littell still owns a steady 3.84 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 58:11 K:BB across 86.2 innings, and he'll aim to reduce the hard contact the next time he's scheduled to take the hill, likely next week versus the Orioles.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Tosses first career complete game
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Littell (5-5) earned the win over Houston on Saturday, allowing three runs on 10 hits and one walk while striking out six batters over nine innings.
Littell allowed two homers to Jeremy Pena in his first three innings, with the second tying the score at 3-3. The Rays poured on the offense from there, and manager Kevin Cash elected to give the bullpen a break and let Littell finish off the contest, which he did without allowing another run. The right-hander threw 117 pitches -- the most by any major-league pitcher in a game this season -- en route to his first career complete game. Since giving up seven runs in four innings against the Angels on April 10, Littell has yielded three runs or fewer in each of his subsequent nine outings, compiling seven quality starts, five wins and a 2.97 ERA in that span.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Fans six in no-decision
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Littell came away with a no-decision against the Astros on Tuesday, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out six over five innings. He did not issue a walk.
Littell scattered his two runs in the second and third innings and wasn't brought out for the sixth after tossing 103 pitches (63 strikes) while generating 10 whiffs. He has yielded three earned runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts, which has brought his ERA down to 4.25 across 59.1 innings. Littell has earned the win in three of his last five outings after losing his first five starts of the season. He'll go for win No. 4 in his next start, tentatively slated for next week at home against Minnesota.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Earns third win
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Littell (3-5) allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out two over 7.1 innings to earn the win Thursday over the Blue Jays.
Littell's longest start of the year was his fifth quality start in six outings, though there were some flaws. All three runs he allowed came via solo home runs, making this the fourth time in nine outings he's allowed multiple homers. Still, he continues to be effective at limiting damage, as this was the seventh time he's walked no more than one batter. The right-hander is now at a 4.31 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 32:10 K:BB over 54.1 innings this season, despite allowing 13 homers so far. His next start is projected to be at home versus the Astros.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Delivers another quality start
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Littell came away with a no-decision in Friday's 4-3 win over the Brewers, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out five.
The right-hander needed 90 pitches (65 strikes) to record his fourth quality start in his last five trips to the mound. After a bumpy beginning to the campaign, Littell has found a groove, posting a 3.00 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 16:6 K:BB in 30 innings over that five-start stretch. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in Toronto.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Remains winless despite QS
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Littell (0-5) took the loss Tuesday, giving up three runs on six hits and one walk over six innings as the Rays were downed 5-1 by the Diamondbacks. He struck out two.
The right-hander delivered his second straight quality start and third in five trips to the mound on 99 pitches (61 strikes), but he once again couldn't get into the win column. Tampa Bay has scored a total of five runs in Littell's five outings, which certainly isn't helping his chances of collecting a win, but he's also served up eight homers in 29 innings to begin the season -- including two in Tuesday's loss. Littell will carry a 5.28 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 21:7 K:BB into his next start, which lines up to come on the road this weekend in San Diego.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Another tough-luck loss Wednesday
Rotowire
Littell (0-4) took the loss Wednesday against the Red Sox after allowing one run on five hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out five.
Wednesday marked the second time already this year that the right-hander was charged with the loss despite firing six innings of one-run ball. David Hamilton's third-inning solo home run wouldn't have been a homer in any other MLB ballpark, according to Statcast, and Littell also notably escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning. Despite carrying a respectable 1.26 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB across 23 innings (four starts) in 2025, Littell's 5.48 ERA makes him tough to trust from a fantasy perspective in Arizona for his next turn through the rotation.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Drops second straight decision
Rotowire
Littell (0-2) took the loss Friday as the Rays were downed 5-2 by the Rangers, coughing up five runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings. He struck out three.
Most of the damage came in the third inning, when Texas reeled off five straight hits before Littell could record an out. The right-hander has given Tampa Bay some length to begin the year, and through his first two starts he sports a 4.15 ERA and 10:2 K:BB in 13 innings. He'll look to get into the win column in his next outing, which lines up to come at home next week against the Angels.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Five shutout innings in win
Rotowire
Littell (6-9) threw five scoreless innings to pick up the win Sunday against Baltimore, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out four.
Littell was sharp, limiting a potent Orioles offense to just three singles to earn his first win since Aug. 3. The 28-year-old has been excellent over his past six starts, allowing one or fewer runs in five of those outings, pitching to a 1.99 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 18:10 K:BB in 31.2 innings. Littell doesn't offer gaudy strikeout totals, but his superb command has allowed him to maintain consistency. On the year, the right-hander owns a 3.89 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 122:31 K:BB in 138.2 innings (26 starts). He will look to stay hot in his next start, currently scheduled for next weekend in Cleveland.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Falls to Baltimore
Rotowire
Littell (5-8) took the loss Friday against the Orioles, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out five.
After surrendering a home run to Colton Cowser to lead off the game, Littell managed to settle in and keep Baltimore off the board until the fifth, when Ryan O'Hearn drove in two more runs with a two-out single. The 28-year-old Littell had won back-to-back starts prior to Friday, allowing just one run in 12.2 innings. Overall, the right-hander sports a 4.11 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP and 113:24 K:BB across 124.2 innings this season. Littell's currently slated for a home matchup with the Astros in his next outing.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Blanks Cincy for fourth win
Rotowire
Littell (4-7) picked up the win in Saturday's 4-0 victory over the Reds, scattering three hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings. He struck out five.
The 28-year-old right-hander was masterful over 96 pitches (60 strikes), as Cincinnati managed to get only two runners into scoring position against him. The quality start was the eighth of the year for Littell, but only his second in his last eight trips to the mound, a stretch in which he has a 5.22 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. With the Rays in sell mode at the trade deadline and Littell headed for his final year of arbitration in 2025, Saturday's performance can only have boosted his market value. If he doesn't get dealt, he's scheduled to make his next start for Tampa Bay on the road next weekend in Houston.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Battered in loss
Rotowire
Littell (3-7) took the loss Monday against the Yankees, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and two walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out six.
The 28-year-old surrendered three home runs in this one, including back-to-back blasts from Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe in the second inning. Littell has allowed at least one home run in 11 of his past 12 starts, limping to a 5.49 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 55:12 K:BB during that stretch. The right-hander boasts an elite 4.95 K/BB that ranks in the 94th percentile, but he will need to keep the ball in the yard to find consistency. Littell will look to bounce back his next time out, a start currently scheduled for this weekend against Cincinnati.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Nabs quality start in no-decision
Rotowire
Littell allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out three batters over six innings in a no-decision against the Guardians on Saturday.
Littell got through four scoreless frames before serving up a solo homer to Angel Martinez in the fifth inning. A catcher's interference call on batterymate David Fry led to a second Cleveland run in the frame, which tied the score and took Littell out of line for a victory. The right-hander ended his outing on a high note, retiring the side in order in the sixth to notch his first quality start since June 9. Littell will finish the first half of the campaign with a 4.26 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 94:19 K:BB over 101.1 innings.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Lit up in loss
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Littell (3-6) allowed seven runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out five over four innings to take the loss versus the Rangers on Sunday.
Littell mostly had things under control until the Rangers erupted for six runs in the fourth inning. He left with a 7-2 deficit, and the Rangers continued to find success against the Rays' bullpen, leaving Littell to take his first loss in four starts. He's had one bad outing in each month of the season, but he's given up four or more runs just four times in 18 starts. The right-hander has a 4.44 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 91:17 K:BB through 95.1 innings. Littell will look to bounce back versus the Guardians in a challenging matchup at home next weekend.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Strikes out six in no-decision
Rotowire
Littell did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's 11-3 win over the Mariners, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts over five innings.
Littell opened with four scoreless innings before allowing a two-run home run to Ty France in the fifth. He generated an impressive 14 swinging strikes on just 72 pitches and has rebounded from a rough start June 14 by yielding just two runs in each of his past two outings. The 28-year-old owns a 4.17 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 82:16 K:BB this season and will try to record his first win since May 11 against the Royals next week.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Allows two runs in no-decision
Rotowire
Littell did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over five innings against the Twins. He struck out five.
Thursday represented a return to form for Littell, who held the Twins to single tallies in each of the second and third innings. Littell had posted a 7.71 ERA and 2.07 WHIP with four homers given up across three starts in June entering Thursday, including a season-worst six earned runs allowed in just two frames during his previous start. Although he was touched up for a homer for the seventh consecutive outing, it was also the first time in five starts he didn't allow at least three earned runs. He tentatively lines up for a home matchup with the Mariners next week.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Takes loss in quality start
Rotowire
Littell (2-4) took the loss Sunday against the Orioles, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk across six innings. He struck out three.
Littell had to work for his third straight quality start, stranding five batters and allowing four extra-base hits, including a fourth-inning solo homer by Anthony Santander. Littell has surrendered a home run in five straight starts and owns a 4.55 ERA with a 24:5 K:BB across 29.2 innings. He's tentatively scheduled for a road start in Atlanta on Friday.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Battles through quality start
Rotowire
Littell struck out two and allowed three runs on 11 hits and one walk over six innings in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Orioles. He didn't factor into the decision.
Littell's day started by allowing a leadoff homer to Gunnar Henderson, but he somehow managed to keep the Rays in the game despite walking the tight rope throughout most of his six-inning effort. In total, Littell scattered a season-high 11 hits and 12 total baserunners while accumulating a season-low two strikeouts. Despite facing at least five Orioles batters in four of his six innings completed, Littell managed to walk away with a quality start, and his gritty performance kept the door open for the Rays to pull off the comeback win. Littell will look to make things a bit easier on himself during his next start, tentatively slated to take place against these same Orioles next weekend when the O's return the favor and make the trip to Tampa.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Punches out seven
Rotowire
Littell didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against Boston, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk across 5.2 innings. He struck out seven.
Littell fared better against the Red Sox the second time around, holding them to three hits Tuesday after yielding seven hits and four runs to Boston in his last start. Though the 28-year-old did surrender a solo homer to Jarren Duran, he tied his season high in strikeouts and walked fewer than two batters for the sixth time in his last seven starts. Littell hasn't gone deeper than six innings this season but owns a 3.42 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP across 10 appearances. He's scheduled for a home start against the Athletics next Tuesday.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Picks up second win
Rotowire
Littell (2-2) got the victory Saturday versus the Yankees, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over 5.2 innings. He notched three strikeouts.
Littell came into this outing with zero walks over his last four starts and at least six strikeouts in all of those outings. While he went the other direction in both areas during Saturday's start, it was an effective outing nonetheless. Littell is sitting on a 3.02 ERA, but this was his first win since March 30. His next outing projects to come in Boston.
