PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Rays visit the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa. The forecast for game time calls for 60 degrees.

Tampa Bay enters at 96-63. Philadelphia is 87-72. The probable pitchers are Freddy Peralta for Tampa Bay and Cristopher Sánchez for Philadelphia. Peralta is 9-11 this season. Sánchez is 18-6.

Tampa Bay is coming off a 6-4 loss at the New York Yankees on Thursday. Ian Seymour pitched five innings, allowing one hit and no earned runs while striking out three. Junior Caminero went 2 for 5 with two RBIs. Brody Hopkins worked one-third of an inning, allowing one hit and one earned run with two walks.

Seymour, a player to watch for Tampa Bay, threw five innings with one hit and three strikeouts at New York on Sept. 24. On Sept. 18 against Boston, he allowed four earned runs on seven hits over five innings with two walks and five strikeouts. On Sept. 12 against Houston, he gave up two earned runs on four hits over six innings with 10 strikeouts. On Sept. 6 at Texas, he allowed three earned runs on five hits over three innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

Philadelphia is coming off a 5-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. Andrew Painter started and allowed one earned run on five hits over six innings with three walks and eight strikeouts. Alex McFarlane followed with a scoreless inning, striking out three and walking two. Chase Shugart allowed no earned runs on two hits over two-thirds of an inning with one strikeout.

Painter, a player to watch for Philadelphia, held Milwaukee to one earned run over six innings on Sept. 24. On Sept. 19 at New York Mets, he allowed four earned runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. On Sept. 13 at Atlanta, he gave up one earned run on six hits over five innings with three strikeouts. On Sept. 8 against Houston, he allowed five earned runs on 10 hits over five innings with six strikeouts. On Sept. 2 at Arizona, he threw seven shutout innings, allowing two hits with six strikeouts.

The teams continue the series Saturday and Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Tampa Bay 7, Philadelphia 5. Interstat’s ELO system gives Philadelphia a 55 percent probability to win. Philadelphia has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The over/under is 6.5.