The Rays opened September with a chance to pad their lead in the American League East, and they let it slip away.
Tampa Bay dropped a 3-2 decision to the New York Mets on Monday at Tropicana Field, ending a four-game winning streak in a game that felt there for the taking. The Rays had plenty of traffic on the bases and still walked away with just two runs, a result that will sting more because of how many openings they created and failed to finish.
The biggest miss came in the fifth inning, when Tampa Bay loaded the bases with nobody out and came up empty. In September, that kind of chance is the one you have to cash in.
The Rays have made a habit of surviving games like this all season, including several wins over the weekend against the San Diego Padres even when they weren’t at their sharpest. But not every night can be rescued later, and Monday was one of the nights that got away.
Tampa Bay finished with nine hits and went 3 for 8 with runners in scoring position, but that wasn’t enough to turn pressure into runs. The offense never fully backed up a strong start from Ian Seymour, who turned in another outing that should have been good enough to win.
Seymour gave the Rays seven innings, struck out 10, and allowed six hits and three earned runs. For a pitcher who began the season in the bullpen and was never expected to be one of the rotation’s top arms, that’s a serious development. He gave Tampa Bay exactly the kind of length and punchouts teams need in tight games.
The problem was everything around him.
Liam Hicks was one of the few bright spots. He collected two hits and helped spark Tampa Bay’s rally in the eighth inning.
His value goes beyond the box score, too. Hicks has been giving the Rays quality at-bats and rarely strikes out, which matters for a lineup that has had trouble at the bottom.
It matters even more when he’s batting behind Junior Caminero, who is likely your runner up for the AL MVP at the moment. With teams likely to be careful around Tampa Bay’s biggest power threat, having someone behind him who can force pitchers to work could be a real asset.
The Rays are still in an excellent spot entering the final month of the regular season, and Tuesday’s roster expansion could bring some changes. But if Tampa Bay wants October to look different, it can’t keep wasting chances like this one. September baseball is here, and the margin for error is getting smaller.
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Mason Englert, Victor Mesa Jr. and Ty Johnson are among the players being considered for promotion, giving the Rays options on the mound and in the outfield as they try to manage the grind ahead. Nothing has been announced yet, which leaves the picture still open, but the possibility alone underscores how the club is trying to reinforce itself without losing sight of the AL East chase. [Read more 🡒]
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Rays Farm System Has A New Name Fans Need To Watch
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There has also been some roster churn around the edges, with the club releasing Austin Slater and adding Jared Oliva on a minor league deal. Meanwhile, the Triple-A level has continued to offer plenty to follow, with Xavier Isaac and Bodine among the players making noise there. For a Rays organization that leans heavily on depth and development, the next wave is starting to sort itself out, even if the picture is still shifting. [Read more 🡒]