Three-game series in Detroit rounds out a historic road trip for the Rays.
Through the first couple weeks of the 2018 season, the Rays were all but left for dead. Coming out of the gates 1-8 it was understandable for fans to already be looking towards next year. But baseball is a funny game. The 162 game slate means it just might not be fair to think you know a team after just nine games. That’s a fair point, as well. The Tampa Bay Rays have done something pretty historic on this road trip that finishes off in Detroit beginning Monday night.
Eight game winning streak – tied for the third longest in team history – came to an end Sunday in Boston after leading the Red Sox 3-0 most of the ballgame. It was also the longest winning streak under manager Kevin Cash. During that span, the Rays climbed to the top of MLB in hitting. Entering Monday night’s game in Detroit, they slugged their way to a .271 average.
Offense en fuego
The Rays are 11-6 since that dreadful 1-8 start. In that time they’ve raised their runs per game from just over three to 4th-best in MLB at 5.71 runs per game. It has come in every way possible. Clutch hits with runners in scoring position. Bunts. The long ball. It all came together for the Rays over the course of the last ten games.
It’s easy to say Denard Span has been in the center of all of it. Then again, he’s been consistent since that magical Opening Day walk off. Go down the order and C.J. Cron, Wilson Ramos, Daniel Robertson, and Joey Wendle are all names you have to throw into the conversation. Backup catcher, Jesus Sucre, has hit well and is now being called on to start a few extra games while Ramos nurses a sore groin. Mallex Smith is getting on base at a pretty consistent clip and has greatly improved his defense in the outfield. Matt Duffy is even hitting .294 entering Monday’s game despite a 10-day stint on the DL.
Cy Snell?
Is it too early to throw LHP Blake Snell into the Cy Young conversation? The 25-year old lefty is pitching to a 4-1 record to go along with an impressive 2.52 ERA. More impressive, he’s only walked 11 batters in 35.2 innings through six starts. His four wins are tied for the MLB lead and his K/9 is among the best in baseball at 10.3.
Rookies making noise
The Rays have gotten plenty of contributions from the young guns during this turnaround. Wendle most notably. Before breaking the Opening Day roster with the Rays this season, he’d played in parts of two seasons with Oakland (36 games). His limited time on the west coast allows him to still qualify for rookie status in 2018 with the Rays. His 24 hits is tied for the MLB lead among rookies. He’s also had multiple hits in five straight games entering Monday.
Outfielder, Jonny Field, hit his first MLB home run on Saturday, a three-run bomb over the monster to cap the 12-6 victory in Boston.
LHP Jose Alvarado has been lights out for the Rays this year. In 14 games, quite a few of which have been high-leverage situations, he’s 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA. In 13.1 innings he’s stuck out 16 hitters and walked just four. The opposition is hitting a paltry .174 against him at the back end of the Rays bullpen.
RHP Yonny Chirinos might be one of the better stories of the young bunch. Though he’s struggled a bit since being officially named the fourth starter, he kicked off his rookie campaign in a huge way. It wasn’t until his fourth appearance this season that he gave up his first runs. That would be an impressive 14.1 innings of scoreless baseball, the first nine of which against the Red Sox.
Keeping it close
On 12 different occasions through their first 26 games, the Rays have had a win or loss decided by one run. That’s most in MLB since the 2007 Tigers who played 13 one-run games through the first 26 of the season. The Rays are 4-8 in those games and if they’re going to continue climbing back up to .500 and beyond, no doubt that record needs to be one that improves, as well.
Following the three games in Detroit, the Rays will return home for a quick five-game homestand beginning with the Blue Jays over the weekend and ending with two against the Braves Tuesday and Wednesday.
