Snell shines in early test vs. Phillies

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Blake Snell didn’t want to get embarrassed by the Phillies’ potent lineup Monday. So instead he shut them down.

The 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner threw two perfect innings in his second Grapefruit League start as the Rays earned an 8-2 win.

Snell couldn't get out of the first inning of his last start against the University of South Florida, so he and pitching coach Kyle Snyder put in a tough week of work to produce a sharp outing.

“I had a good week, me and Kyle, we learned a lot,” Snell said. “I felt better mentally. I felt better just with my body throwing the ball using all my force and driving it toward the plate with every pitch. There’s a lot of things I’m happy with. Just the way I prepared for the game."

Snell needed just 27 pitches to get through two innings against arguably the toughest lineup in the National League. The sold-out crowd at Spectrum Field was buzzing in the bottom of the first when Bryce Harper stepped to the plate, but Snell struck him out looking.

Harper said he was happy to face one of the best pitchers in the game.

“He's good,” Harper said. “I was just happy to go out there and face a guy like him, see some [velocity], see some offspeed as well and just see one of the best in baseball. It's always fun to be able to do that, whether it's the third game in spring or the middle of the season. It's good to see.”

Snell wouldn’t admit that he was gearing up to pitch to Harper. Instead, he gave credit to the entire Phillies lineup for bringing out the best in him.

“That whole lineup is tough,” Snell said. “I don’t really key in on a guy. It’s a lefty, it’s a righty, is who I focus on. I’ve got to attack the zone. They’re going to do what they do, I’m going to do what I do, so I really don’t care who’s hitting. That lineup is nasty.”

With several starts against the Yankees and Red Sox on tap this season, Snell said it was good for him to face a challenge at this point in the spring.

“It’s a lot easier to get ready, because if you don’t, they are going to make you pay for it,” Snell said. “No one likes to get embarrassed. [This week] taught me a lot, I’m a lot better, which I needed, which is awesome. And to come here to get it going again, to get the focus going, cause that’s when I’m at my best, when I’m focused.”

It’s uncertain how many innings Snell will pitch in his next start. For the most part, he and Snyder have been pretty quiet about their plan this spring and how he is going to get ready for Opening Day.

But Snell isn’t worried about the optics, he knows what he needs to do.

“Me and Kyle have a set plan, it’s working, it’s what’s best for me,” Snell said. “People are like ‘Why don’t you go three-four innings?’ But that’s not where I’m at. I need to be ready for Opening Day, just be ready for that day. And how we do it, that’s for us to decide.

“I’ll be ready. Don’t worry about that, I’ll be ready.”