The Tampa Bay Rays are heading into the postseason with a pitching staff that has made life miserable for opposing lineups all year, and the biggest reason is sitting right there in the numbers: a 6.9% walk rate, the lowest in Major League Baseball.
That kind of strike-throwing has shaped Tampa Bay’s season. Drew Rasmussen has pitched like an ace.
Freddy Peralta just picked up American League Pitcher of the Month honors for September. Nick Martinez has been steady all year, and Griffin Jax gives Kevin Cash another arm to work with.
More than anything, though, the Rays have built a staff that refuses to hand out free baserunners. That matters in October, when one mistake can flip a game in a hurry. Tampa Bay has spent the regular season making opponents earn everything, and it still finished with the AL’s best record and the No. 1 seed.
The formula has held up in tight games, too. The Rays went 25-4 in one-run contests and 61-35 in games decided by three runs or fewer.
That’s the kind of profile that travels well into the playoffs. If an opponent wants to beat this staff, it usually has to do it the hard way.
There is, though, one roster question worth watching as Tampa Bay puts together its ALDS group. Brody Hopkins has some of the best stuff available to Cash, but his control remains something to monitor. Still, there’s an argument for taking the chance, especially with the rest of the staff already so good at limiting walks.
Since his promotion to the majors, Hopkins has been bringing nasty stuff to the mound.
The Rays have spent the season turning opposing offenses into “boring baseball,” and that’s exactly the kind of formula that tends to win in October. With a potential lockout looming, this may be the best chance yet for the franchise to chase its first World Series title.
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Rays Face Their Biggest October Test Yet Against A Surging Yankees Team
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What makes this matchup especially intriguing is how much could hinge on the details, from the pitching pairings to the atmosphere inside the dome to the status of Aaron Judge, whose availability remains a major talking point. For the Rays, the challenge is not just beating a familiar rival, but doing it against a team that is swinging confidently and forcing every margin to matter in a series where one swing, one starter, or one injury update could tilt everything. [Read more 🡒]