The Tampa Bay Rays are heading into the second half with a quick test right out of the gate: a road doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox.
Tampa Bay will open with a day-night twin bill, and Game 1 is the makeup of the postponed May 9 contest. Griffin Jax is set to start that one opposite Jake Bennett.
For the nightcap, the Rays have officially named Mason Englert as their 27th man, and that lines him up to start Game 2. It’s another sign that Tampa Bay is leaning into the same midseason formula that has already worked with other arms on the staff.
Englert has bounced between Triple-A Durham and the big league roster, but when he has been with Tampa Bay, he’s delivered. Since his ERA spiked to 10.57 on April 12 against the New York Yankees, he has settled in and become one of the more dependable pitchers on the club.
The sample is still small - just eight appearances since then - but the results have been strong. In those eight outings, he has thrown 23 innings with a 1.57 ERA, 23 strikeouts and five walks. He has allowed only four earned runs and has done a solid job of working out of trouble when runners get on.
His last five appearances for the Rays have all come in bulk-inning roles. In his most recent outing against the Houston Astros, he logged a season-high 5.2 innings and took the loss in a 2-0 game. That night also included a career-best nine strikeouts.
Englert now becomes the latest Rays pitcher to make the jump from relief work to the rotation and run with it. Jax and Ian Seymour have both found plenty of success after moving into starting roles, and Englert is following that same path.
The challenge comes immediately. Boston is on a nine-game winning streak and sits a half-game behind the Seattle Mariners for the final American League Wild Card spot.
Tampa Bay will need Englert to provide length in a hurry, especially with the bullpen facing a stretch that could get heavy. The Rays are fresh coming out of the break, but the doubleheader arrives fast, and they won’t have another off day until July 27.
In Other News...
Rays Skid Just Forced A Deadline Decision Fans Have Dreaded
The post-All-Star break slide has turned the Rays deadline into something much bigger than a routine roster tune-up. Tampa Bays unselfish style has long been part of the organizations identity, but the recent skid has exposed how thin the margin is when the lineup needs more punch and the pitching staff starts to wobble.
Eric Neander now faces the kind of pressure that comes with a team that still sees itself as a contender but can feel the ground shifting underneath it. The Rays are believed to be weighing help on both sides of the ball, and the next move has to be the kind that changes the tenor of the season rather than simply patches a few holes. [Read more 🡒]
Another AL Threat Just Entered The Twins Trade Deadline Picture
With the trade deadline approaching, the Rays are doing what they usually do this time of year: keeping a close eye on the market and looking for ways to patch holes before October arrives. According to USA Todays Bob Nightengale, Tampa Bay and the Yankees both had scouts on hand for a recent Twins game against the Cubs, a sign that Minnesota could be part of the conversation as the deadline draws near.
For the Rays, the appeal is easy to see. They have been tied to help in multiple spots, and Minnesota offers options that could fit different needs on the roster, from the rotation to the lineup. The bigger question now is how aggressive Tampa Bay wants to be, especially with another AL contender apparently circling the same names and raising the cost of doing business. [Read more 🡒]
Rays May Have To Beat The Yankees To Fix A Major Flaw
Scouts from both the Yankees and Rays were spotted at Wrigley Field taking a look at a few Twins players, including Ryan Jeffers, Joe Ryan and Trevor Larnach, a reminder that the deadline market can get crowded fast when two contenders are chasing the same help. For Tampa Bay, the interest makes sense. Catcher production has been a problem, and that spot is shaping up as one of the clearest areas the club may try to address before the deadline.
Jeffers is the name that stands out most because of the way he has hit this season, and he has already surfaced in trade chatter tied to New York. If Minnesota stays in the race, the Twins can keep him. If they slip, the Rays may find themselves in a familiar spot, trying to solve a weakness while another big-market rival is looking for the same upgrade. [Read more 🡒]