The Tampa Bay Rays didn't have the best home stand.
After heading back to Tropicana Field after going 9-0 on the road, the Rays struggled against their division opponents when they returned to their own turf, going 2-5 and allowing the New York Yankees to get within reach of the AL East division standings.
Heading into Tuesday, the Yankees trail the Rays by 3.5 games, as Tampa Bay holds a 78-53 record on the season. The team still holds the best record in the American League, but it will need a momentum shift to keep that true heading into October.
On Monday, Bleacher Report released its updated MLB power rankings, and due to their recent homestand skid, the Rays fell out of the top five for the first time since early this year. They were listed sixth on the power ranking despite still holding the No. 1 seed in the junior circuit.
"Despite some bumps along the way, the Rays have been atop the AL East standings since June 28, though a pair of series losses last week has the Yankees nipping at their heels just three games back," said B/R writer Joel Reuter. "With five more home runs, Junior Caminero will become the first player in franchise history with multiple 40-homer campaigns."
Earlier in the season, Caminero was one of the only bright spots in the Tampa Bay offense. However, things have dramatically shifted since the All-Star break and, most importantly, the MLB trade deadline.
Players like Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Diaz have helped hold down the top of the order, but recently acquired catcher Liam Hicks has certainly added a power factor to the middle of the lineup.
Chandler Simpson, who is currently on a 15-game hitting streak following the series-opening win on the road against the Detroit Tigers, has certainly helped with the consistency of base traffic and run support for Tampa Bay as well.
Caminero is not the only player on the franchise that is close to making history, as closer Bryan Baker is only 10 saves away from reaching the Rays' single-season franchise record.
None of this will matter, though, if they don't make a serious push in the postseason in just a few months. Tampa Bay has had seasons like this recently, such as 2023, when they led the American League standings until the postseason arrived. They were then quickly eliminated by the Texas Rangers, the inevitable World Series champions, in the first round of the postseason.
The Rays must ensure that this year is different.
Leave a Comment