The Rays left Globe Life Field with a split, and that part is fine. A four-game road set against the Rangers is not where you want to go looking for comfort, especially in a building that has been rough on Tampa Bay lately. The bigger concern came away from the scoreboard: the pitching staff took a beating over the weekend, and the injuries keep piling up.
The Rays announced IL stints for Shane McClanahan, Garrett Cleavinger, and Manuel Rodriguez. Bryan Baker also exited Friday’s game, though the word was that he was dealing with an illness, and he did not pitch again over the rest of the series. With that kind of attrition, the club’s depth on the mound is going to get tested the rest of the way and maybe into October.
That context made Sunday’s 8-6 loss feel less like a collapse and more like a warning flare. Tampa Bay jumped out fast, scoring four times after batting around in the second inning. Victor Mesa Jr. and Nick Fortes chipped in from the lower part of the order, while Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda added the kind of timely hits that made the early lead look sturdy.
It didn’t stay that way for long. By the fourth, the Rangers had erased the deficit and tied the game at five.
From there, the Rays cycled through a mix of arms, and the results were uneven. Ian Seymour got the start but did not have his usual strikeout bite, and he was pulled before recording an out in the fourth. Steven Matz followed and allowed two runs in his only inning.
There was at least one bright spot on the pitching side: Ty Johnson made his major league debut. Fangraphs had ranked him 14th in the Rays system, and he’s worked both as a starter and reliever for Triple-A Durham this season.
Johnson threw one inning, didn’t allow a run, and struck out two while issuing a walk. That kind of opening gives him a chance to carve out a role on the staff this month.
So while the split in Texas won’t sting the way a sweep would have, the weekend still left Tampa Bay with more questions than answers. The offense did its job on Sunday and the club scored six runs on the road, but the mound situation is what hangs over everything now. An off day comes at a good time, with the Rays next headed to Atlanta for a three-game series against the Braves.
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 🡒]