NEW YORK -- Blake Snell retired all 15 batters he faced in his start against Toronto on Friday night at Rogers Centre.
Snell didn't get the chance to go for the perfect game, though. Rays manager Kevin Cash lifted the left-hander due to the fact that he was making just his second start since returning from the 10-day disabled list (left shoulder fatigue).
Snell will be on a pitch count again Thursday afternoon when he starts against the Yankees in the finale of the three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
"Unless I'm pitching a perfect game in 75 pitches, I think I'll probably get pulled," Snell said.
Snell told reporters he doesn't know the number of pitches he'll be allowed to throw Thursday, saying, "I don't like to know the number, honestly. I just like to pitch.
"And then when it happens, it happens, because if I know the number, I'll think about it. I think there's only negative that will come from that. I know that it's going to be more than five innings -- that's what I'm hoping -- if I attack the zone and do what I'm supposed to do."
Cash said he hopes that Snell is as efficient as he was Friday night. Snell threw just 47 pitches in his five innings against the Blue Jays, 33 of which went for strikes.
"Obviously, we're trying to get him stretched out, but we're going to be very responsible doing that," Cash said. "[Pitching coach] Kyle [Snyder] talked about when [Snell] took his two weeks off on the DL, that's the first time -- other than the offseason -- that he's ever done something like that. And we want to be really smart. He's a big, big part of our future, and we want to keep him healthy."
Worth noting
• All season, Cash has been peppered with questions regarding the team's use of "openers" instead of traditional starting pitchers. On Wednesday, he was asked if he had a hard time selling the concept to his pitchers.
Cash considered the question for a moment before answering.
"Maybe a little bit," Cash said. "I think going back to when we first started, it was Sergio Romo who first did it. When you've got your veteran pitcher who has closed out World Series games, that's won World Series, and he's willing to do it, most of the young guys are going to follow suit and buy into it."
• Jalen Beeks held the Yankees to two runs on two hits with eight strikeouts in a five-inning relief appearance Tuesday night. Since 1908, Beeks is the fourth reliever to allow two hits or fewer with eight strikeouts or more against the Yankees, joining Boston's Tom Burgmeier, Detroit's Hank Aguirre and Cleveland's Herb Score.