For an opener, Jonny Venters on Wednesday afternoon would have been perfect for Bialystock and Bloom. He was closed down almost immediately by the Nationals offense. He faces six batters, allowing three hits and two walks as he recorded one out. He was also charged with five runs.

Overall, the opener strategy worked fairly well for the Rays. In four of the eight starts by an opener, the starter did not allow a run. Overall, the Rays starter in this period own a 3.35 ERA, but the team is just 7-10. So far, it’s not a magic strategy.

The Nationals beat the Rays 11-2.