Labor Day may be the unofficial turn into baseball’s stretch run, but the Tampa Bay Rays are already playing like a team that knows exactly what’s at stake. With the postseason just three weeks away, Tampa Bay is still sitting comfortably in the MLB Power Rankings top five, checking in at No. 4 and reinforcing the idea that it remains one of the American League’s most complete clubs.
That standing reflects more than a hot week or two. MLB.com contributors have kept the Rays in the upper tier all season, and the latest ranking shows how steady they’ve been while dealing with injuries, lineup changes and a demanding schedule. Milwaukee, Atlanta and Los Angeles continue to hold the top three spots, but Tampa Bay’s place right behind them says plenty about the way the season has gone.
The Rays enter mid-September with the best record in the American League and a slim lead in the AL East. They’ll get a key opportunity to build on that edge with a home series against the A’s from September 15-17.
After that, the calendar turns sharply more difficult. Tampa Bay is set for three games against Boston, four critical matchups in the Bronx and then a season-ending trip to Philadelphia.
That’s the kind of finish that can expose a team or sharpen it. The Rays have handled big moments well all year, but this last push will ask plenty of their depth and durability. To stay in the top five, they’ll have to keep stacking wins against teams with their own playoff agendas.
Around them in the rankings, Milwaukee remains No. 1, with manager Pat Murphy pushing back on the idea that his team is built only for the regular season. Atlanta holds second as it heads into a difficult road swing, while the Dodgers continue to roll through the NL West and could clinch their division within days. Chicago completes the top five, with Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakout season drawing attention from stars across the city’s sports scene.
For Tampa Bay, the formula is still the same: timely offense, a bullpen that can hold the line and a rotation that can keep delivering quality innings deep into September. If the Rays make the most of what’s left at home and survive the road tests ahead, they’ll head into October with the kind of profile every contender wants.
In Other News...
Rays Suddenly Have A Catching Decision That Could Matter To Miami
The Rays have put themselves in a much better spot behind the plate in a hurry, and Caden Bodine is a big reason why. The prospect has moved through four minor league levels in one season, flashing both the kind of bat and defensive skill set Tampa Bay has long needed from its catchers. For a franchise that has too often had to patch together offense at the position, that kind of rapid rise is notable on its own.
Add in the arrival of Liam Hicks in a trade, and suddenly the Rays have real depth and a decision to make as they look toward the next few seasons. It is the kind of competition that can help a club, especially one that has spent years trying to get more production from its catching group, and it also gives Tampa Bay another layer to consider as the season turns toward the stretch run and the wider implications around the division, including Miami, come into view. [Read more 🡒]
Garrett Cleavingers Slide Leaves Rays Watching One Small Detail
Garrett Cleavingers season has followed a familiar reliever arc for long stretches, but the August break in performance has been hard to miss. His ERA and FIP climbed sharply after a strong first half, even though the underlying shape of his delivery and his command metrics have stayed largely intact, leaving the Rays to sort through why the results suddenly turned south.
One answer seems to be hiding in the margins of where his fastball has lived. The pitch has drifted from its usual glove-side lane toward the arm side, and a higher BABIP has only made the damage look worse. If Tampa Bay can get the catchers setup nudged back into a better spot, theres hope Cleavinger can rediscover the fastball location that made him so effective earlier in the year. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Judges Return Creates A New Problem Rays Fans Should Watch
Aaron Judge is back on the Yankees roster after being activated from the injured list, and his return matters well beyond New York. The slugger has not been in the lineup since May 31, and the Yankees are easing him back into action rather than throwing him right into a full workload, with the club trying to balance his health against its push toward October.
For the Rays, that creates a familiar kind of problem: one of the games most dangerous bats is suddenly back in the division, but not necessarily all the way back to normal yet. Judge skipped a minor-league rehab assignment, so his timing and workload will be worth tracking right away, especially for Tampa Bay as it keeps tabs on a rival that could look a lot different once he is fully settled in. [Read more 🡒]