Rays score early, pile on late in 8-5 win over Royals

Tommy Pham, Yandy Diaz and Ji-Man Choi each drove in a pair of runs, sending the hot-hitting Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

Michael Perez and Kevin Kiermaier also drove in runs for the Rays (19-9), who have won five of six to build upon the best record in baseball. They also moved to 10-2 on the road.

Yonny Chirinos went 5 2/3 innings in relief of effective opener Ryne Stanek, allowing two earned runs on two hits and a walk. Chirinos improved to 4-0 after going 0-3 last season.

Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Nate Lowe hits a double during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, April 29, 2019. It was Lowe's first hit in the major leagues. (AP PhotoOrlin Wagner)

The Rays did most of their damage against Brad Keller (2-3), who struggled in his return from a five-game suspension for his role in a fracas with the Chicago White Sox. The big right-hander allowed five runs on six hits and three walks over five innings.

The Rays jumped on Keller in the first when Choi drew a two-out walk, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a balk. When he scored on Diaz's base hit, Tampa Bay had outscored its opponents 29-4 in the first inning this season.

The Rays added three more in the second after Kiermaier was hit by a pitch, beginning a parade of batters to the plate. Perez delivered an RBI double and Pham provided the big blow with a two-run triple, staking the Rays' pitching staff — with the best ERA in baseball — to a 4-0 lead.

Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier catches a fly ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Alex Gordon during the third inning of a baseball game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, April 29, 2019. (AP PhotoOrlin Wagner)

They nearly gave it right back in the third.

The Royals took advantage of an error by Rays shortstop Daniel Robertson and a walk to Whit Merrifield when Adalberto Mondesi tripled to right. He scored on Alex Gordon's sacrifice fly.

Jorge Soler homered in the seventh for Kansas City, but the Rays added a run in the eighth and Choi's two-run double off Wily Peralta in the ninth to put the game away.

Kansas City Royals' Adalberto Mondesi hits an RBI-triple during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, April 29, 2019. (AP PhotoOrlin Wagner)

FRIENDS IN LOWE PLACES

Rays DH Nate Lowe doubled in the eighth for his first big league hit. The slugger roared through three minor league levels last season and was hitting .300 at Triple-A Durham.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Kansas City Royals' Adalberto Mondesi (27) gestures after hitting an RBI-triple during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, April 29, 2019. (AP PhotoOrlin Wagner)

Rays: INF Matt Duffy took some at-bats in extended spring training as he rehabs from a sore back and ailing hamstring. He hopes to return in the next couple of weeks. "He felt good," manager Kevin Cash said. "Progress is being made."

Royals: OF Billy Hamilton got another day off after leaving Saturday night's game against the Angels with a sore hamstring. "That's one of his main strengths," manager Ned Yost said of Hamilton's speed. "I'm going to wait until he's really good, then I'm going to give him one more day."

UP NEXT

Fans hold their dogs during the third inning of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, April 29, 2019. It was "Bark at the Park" night at the stadium and fans could bring their dogs to the game. (AP PhotoOrlin Wagner)

AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell (2-2, 2.54 ERA) makes his second start after returning from a toe injury on Tuesday night against the Royals. Snell was on a 65-pitch limit and got knocked around his last time out. Jakob Junis (2-2, 5.57) will be on the mound for Kansas City.

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Tampa Bay Rays' Nate Lowe gestures after hitting a double during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, April 29, 2019. It was Lowe's first hit in the major leagues. (AP PhotoOrlin Wagner)

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs are adding Edward Cabrera to their rotation, agreeing Wednesday to acquire the right-hander in a trade with the Miami Marlins in their first major offseason move.

A person familiar with the deal confirmed the move to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it hadn’t been announced.

Chicago agreed to send outfielder Owen Caissie and infield prospects Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon to Miami for Cabrera, who went 8-7 with a 3.53 ERA in a career-high 26 starts and 137 2/3 innings last year.

Caissie, 23, could compete for a starting job with the Marlins after making his major league debut in August. Caissie, a second-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft, hit .192 in 12 games with the Cubs, but he batted .286 with 22 homers and 55 RBIs with Triple-A Iowa last season.

Cabrera is eligible for arbitration and cannot become a free agent until after the 2028 season.

The Cubs finished second in the NL Central last year with a 92-70 record. They made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 before they were eliminated by Milwaukee in a five-game NL Division Series.

Cabrera, who turns 28 in April, joins a deep rotation that also includes Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon. Colin Rea and Javier Assad are two more starting options, and Justin Steele is coming back from left elbow surgery on April 18.

The 6-foot-5 Cabrera made his major league debut with Miami in 2021. He is 25-29 with a 4.07 ERA in 87 career starts and two relief appearances.

Cabrera arrives in Chicago with some injury concerns, including recurring blisters on his right middle finger. He also was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 1 with a right elbow sprain. He returned on Sept. 23 and pitched five shutout innings against the New York Mets in his final start of the season on Sept. 28.

While the addition of Cabrera strengthens Chicago’s rotation, Caissie was expected to compete for time in right field. Kyle Tucker is expected to leave the Cubs in free agency.

Miami went 79-83 in its first season under manager Clayton McCullough, a 17-game improvement from its last-place finish in 2024. Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez lead the team’s rotation.

Hernandez, 22, batted .252 with seven homers and 53 RBIs for High A South Bend last year. De Leon, 18, played for the Cubs’ team in the Arizona Complex League in 2025, hitting .276 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 43 games.

Also Wednesday, the Cubs claimed left-hander Ryan Rolison off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. Rolison made his big league debut with Colorado in May.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

FILE - Chicago Cubs' Owen Caissie hits his first major league career home run during the sixth inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers, Aug. 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File)

FILE - Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera follows through on a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sept. 28, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)