The Tampa Bay Rays stumbled through a rough homestand, dropping five of seven to the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. But even after that 2-5 stretch, they’re still sitting in control of the American League East.
That’s been the story of Tampa Bay for much of the season: one of baseball’s biggest surprises, and a club that has kept finding ways to hold its ground as September gets closer. They weren’t supposed to be this good, but they’ve managed to sustain a high level of play anyway.
The trade deadline only added to that momentum. With a couple of nice additions, the Rays have positioned themselves to keep pushing, and the next objective is clear: lock down home-field advantage in the AL. Still, the division has to come first.
Right now, Tampa Bay holds a four-game lead over the New York Yankees, and the gap matters because the Yankees are the biggest threat in the division and likely the league overall. The Rays head back on the road this weekend for another meeting with the Orioles, who gave them plenty of trouble last weekend and will be looking to do it again.
Boston made a run back into the playoff picture, but that surge has cooled off after its wild stretch. New York, meanwhile, is about to get a major opportunity. The Yankees open a 10-game homestand Friday with a series against the Toronto Blue Jays, then stay home for three games against the Houston Astros and four against the Red Sox.
It’s a huge stretch for New York, and if the Yankees are going to make a real charge at first place, this is the kind of run where it has to start.
For now, the Rays and Yankees have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, setting up the race to watch down the stretch. Both teams are also likely eyeing a late-September four-game series in the Bronx when Tampa Bay comes north.
Even after the bad homestand, the Rays still look like the team to beat in the AL East. The Yankees, though, still have time to make things interesting.
In Other News...
Rays May Already Be Moving On From A Recent Bullpen Addition
The Rays bullpen picture shifted again with Manuel Rodrguez back from the 60-day injured list, giving Tampa Bay another experienced right-hander as the stretch run gets closer. To create room on both the active roster and the 40-man, the club designated Chris Roycroft for assignment, a move that quickly changed the outlook for a pitcher who had only been in the organization for two months after a minor trade.
Roycroft now goes on outright waivers, and with the trade deadline already gone, Tampa Bay no longer has the option of moving him elsewhere. For a team that churns through relief arms as often as the Rays do, the decision is another reminder of how quickly a recent bullpen addition can move from depth piece to roster casualty when a healthier arm is ready to return. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away In Painful Fashion
The Rays had a chance to turn a tense, low-scoring game into a needed road win at Camden Yards, but the night slipped away in the kind of sequence that can linger. Tampa Bay fell 3-2 to the Orioles in walk-off fashion, a game that felt very much there for the taking before the pressure tightened in extras.
Taylor Walls tried to put the Rays in front in the 10th with a bunt play, but Baltimore handled it cleanly and cut down Richie Palacios at the plate for a huge out. The Orioles then finished the job with a pinch-hit double from Dylan Beavers, leaving Tampa Bay to wonder about another winnable one that got away. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Deadline Addition Is Already Creating An October Rotation Problem
The Rays went into the deadline looking for help that could hold up over the seasons final stretch, and several of their new additions have already fit that bill. Liam Hicks and Tyler Wells have both given Tampa Bay useful production in their own ways, which is exactly what the club needed while trying to sharpen the roster for a playoff push.
Freddy Peralta, though, has complicated the picture on the mound. He has not matched the standard the Rays want from a postseason starter, with a high ERA and uneven outings leaving him behind other arms on the depth chart. That creates an October decision the Rays may not have expected this soon, especially if they continue sorting out which pitchers give them the best chance to navigate a short series. [Read more 🡒]