Nothing happened for long stretches in this one, and then Junior decided it was over.
The Rays scraped out a 2-1 win over the Athletics, and for most of the afternoon the offense on both sides was stuck in neutral. Tampa Bay’s first run came in a strange little sequence built around Chandler Simpson, who did nearly all of the damage for the Rays until the late home run.
Simpson ripped a 98 mph line drive that caromed off the back wall for a double, moved to third on a ground out, and then scored when the Oakland catcher couldn’t handle an errant pitch. That was the Rays’ lone run for much of the game, and it came after Simpson had already accounted for half of Tampa Bay’s six hits.
On the mound, Griffin Jax kept rolling after his last strong outing. He worked five scoreless innings, didn’t issue a walk, allowed just two forgettable hits, and punched out seven. Even so, he was lifted before the sixth despite getting through his outing on just 67 pitches, which suggests the Rays are still watching his workload closely.
Jack Perkins matched him longer than you’d expect from a starter with an ERA north of 6.00. He held the Rays down for 6.2 innings, scattered a few hits, walked only one, and made even the “big three” look uncomfortable.
After Jax exited, Ty Johnson became the shaky point in an otherwise sharp pitching night. He allowed two hits and then uncorked a wild pitch that brought in the tying run.
But Tampa Bay’s bullpen settled things after that. Cam Booser, Kevin Kelly and Bryan Baker each handled their work, and Baker finished off the Athletics in the top of the ninth.
That set the stage for the bottom of the inning, and Junior delivered the knockout. He drove the ball out and ended it, the kind of moment that fits the way he’s carrying himself right now. The 23-year-old has the bat and the confidence, and he even turned to the crowd afterward, urging them to get louder as they chanted “MVP.”
The win drops the Rays’ magic number to take the division to nine. The Yankees are leading the Minnesota Twins as of the writeup, so there was no help there. Tampa Bay now has two more games left against the A’s, and Nick “our workhorse” Martinez is set to start tomorrow.
In Other News...
Rays Move On From Pitcher Still Trying To Rebound From Surgery
The Rays have made another roster move involving a pitcher still working his way back from surgery, with right-hander Michael Grove claimed off waivers by Atlanta and sent to Triple-A Gwinnett. Tampa Bay had designated Grove for assignment earlier, and he had spent time pitching in both the majors and minors this season as he tried to regain his footing after the operation.
Atlantas interest was practical as much as anything else, coming as the Braves look for extra pitching depth amid injuries in their rotation. For Tampa Bay, it is another reminder of how quickly the back end of a roster can turn over, especially with pitchers who are still in the middle of a recovery and trying to prove they can hold up again at the big-league level. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Have One Clear Weak Spot In A Tight AL East Race
With 13 games left, the Rays are still in control of a tight AL East race, and the broader picture looks good enough that they can afford to focus on one nagging issue rather than panic over the standings. Junior Caminero has helped steady the lineup with his strong play, giving Tampa Bay a source of impact production as the club tries to close out the regular season with its division lead intact.
Cedric Mullins, though, has remained the obvious weak spot in an otherwise competitive group. The outfielder has not provided much offensively this season, sitting at .202 with a .626 OPS, and that kind of drag stands out more now that every game carries extra weight. Even with the Rays in a strong position, how much they can live with that production down the stretch could shape the final push. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Quietly Added A New Arm And The Bullpen Implications Matter
The Rays were busy shuffling the board before their three-game series against the Athletics, and one of the more notable moves came on the pitching side with right-hander Michael Grove being claimed off waivers by Atlanta. Tampa Bay also had to adjust its own bullpen depth, placing Tyler Wells on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tightness, a move that closes the book on his regular season and forces the club to lean on the next layer of arms.
Alex Cook was recalled from Triple-A Durham to fill Wells spot, while Jake Fraley was activated from the 60-day injured list and catcher Kenny Piper was optioned to Durham. For a team that has long valued flexibility and depth, the sequence matters because every late-season pitching move can ripple forward, and the Rays now have to manage one more bullpen absence as they try to keep things steady over the final stretch. [Read more 🡒]