The Rays walked into Coors Field expecting trouble. Most pitching staffs do. It’s the kind of place where clean ERAs go to die, and Tampa Bay looked headed for a long week right away.
Game 1 turned into a slugfest, with the Rays outlasting the Rockies 13-9 behind a big night from the lineup. Junior Caminero launched two homers, Richie Palacios added another, and Ian Seymour got enough offensive backing to work with. The bullpen, though, was a different story, as Michael Grove and Casey Legumina combined to allow seven runs, six earned.
The next night started even rougher on the mound. Freddy Peralta, making his Rays debut, was tagged for seven runs in 3.2 innings. But after Cam Booser recorded the final out of the fourth, Tampa Bay’s relief corps took over and flipped the script.
From that point on, the Rays’ bullpen carved through Colorado and helped drag the game to a 9-7 win in 11 innings. Ryan Bass noted on X that the 7.1 scoreless innings from Tampa Bay’s bullpen were the sixth most ever by a visiting team’s relief staff in a single game at Coors Field.
Legumina was part of the turnaround after his rough opening outing, bouncing back with two shutout innings. Steven Matz, who has struggled mightily with ineffectiveness and injuries, delivered 1.1 scoreless innings. Kevin Kelly worked a clean inning across the ninth and 10th, Garrett Cleavinger handled the final two outs of the 10th and was credited with the win, and Bryan Baker finished it off after the Rays scored twice in the top of the 11th.
That kind of work carried straight into Game 3. Nick Martinez threw 5.2 shutout innings, then the bullpen finished the job in a 4-0 win.
Tyler Wells, acquired from the Baltimore Orioles ahead of the MLB trade deadline, did not allow a ball in play in his Rays debut. He walked one and struck out the other four hitters he faced.
Cleavinger pitched the eighth, and Booser came in to close it out.
By the end of the series, Tampa Bay had strung together 16.1 consecutive scoreless innings at Coors Field, an eye-catching run in a park built to punish pitchers. Right now, pitching is still the Rays’ calling card, and the bullpen is making a strong case as one of the best groups in baseball.
In Other News...
Rays Move On From Craig Kimbrel As Bullpen Questions Grow
Craig Kimbrels short run with the Rays has come to an end, with the veteran reliever clearing waivers after being designated for assignment and then electing free agency. Tampa Bay brought him in for bullpen help, but the move never really stabilized the late innings the way the club had hoped, and his 2024 season has now included stops with both the Mets and the Rays.
Across those two teams, Kimbrel posted a 4.81 ERA in 33 2/3 innings, a line that reflects how uneven this year has been for one of baseballs most recognizable relievers. Now a free agent after the trade deadline, he will look for another chance elsewhere, while the Rays keep sorting through a bullpen picture that has only become more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Are Already Moving On From Steven Wilson
The Rays made a quick roster move with Steven Wilson, activating the reliever from the 60-day injured list and then designating him for assignment. It is a procedural step, but it underscores how little time Wilson has had to establish himself in Tampa Bay after spending his stint on a minor league rehabilitation assignment and never getting into a big league game for the club because of injury.
Wilson now goes on outright waivers, leaving his immediate future in limbo as the Rays clear the roster spot and wait to see whether another team steps in. If he is not claimed, the expectation is that he will remain in the organization and head to Triple-A Durham, where Tampa Bay can keep him around as pitching depth while the bigger picture settles. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Just Made The Kind Of Move Their Fans Love
The Rays added another piece to the roster-building blueprint that has long defined them, landing catcher Liam Hicks from the Marlins in a deal that sent Brayden Taylor, Jacob Kisting and Adrian Santana to Miami. For a club that has built its identity around finding affordable, controllable talent, this fits neatly with the way Tampa Bay has preferred to operate, especially when the return addresses a clear need.
Hicks comes with multiple years of team control and gives the Rays a potential upgrade behind the plate, a spot that has been a weakness. Moves like this tend to resonate with Tampa Bay fans because they are rarely about splash and more about fit, value and upside, and this one has the look of a move the organization believes can pay off for a while. [Read more 🡒]