The Tampa Bay Rays are sitting pretty in first place in the American League East with a 5.5-game lead over the New York Yankees as we inch closer to September, but what happened last week after their dominant road trip really showed everyone what this team is made of. It was a wild swing of momentum that proved no team is invincible.
A 9-0 Road Trip That Stung Our M’s, Followed By A Home Sweep
Man, it still stings to think about it. The Rays were on an absolute tear, going 9-0 on a road trip that saw them sweep the Colorado Rockies, then our very own Seattle Mariners, and finally the Athletics. They looked unstoppable, like a true force to be reckoned with, especially after how they handled business all season long. You thought they were just gonna keep rolling, right? But then, they came home and got a dose of reality, getting swept themselves in a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles. Just like that, their perfect run was over, making for a 3-3 record last week. Talk about a rollercoaster!
Still No. 4, But Drew Rasmussen Is Straight Fire
Despite that wild swing from sweeping everyone to getting swept, the Rays somehow managed to hold onto their spot as the No. 4 team in the power rankings, according to Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter. Reuter pointed out the craziness, saying, “The Rays went from 9-0 on their latest road trip with sweeps of the Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, and Athletics, then returned home where they were promptly swept by the Orioles.” But hey, even with that stumble, they’ve still got that 5.5-game lead in the AL East race. And a huge part of that is Drew Rasmussen, who’s been absolutely lights-out since the All-Star break. The dude’s pitching like a bona fide ace with 5 starts, a 5-0 record, a ridiculous 1.20 ERA, 35 Ks, and 30.0 innings pitched. That’s the kind of performance that keeps a team at the top.
So what’s next for this Tampa Bay squad? They’ve got the Toronto Blue Jays coming up during the week. But the real test, the real chance for payback, comes over the weekend when they face those Baltimore Orioles again. You can bet they’re looking to get those three losses back, especially after the way they’ve been playing all year, injury-free of course. This team has the offense and pitching to be incredibly difficult to take down. It’s gonna be a must-watch series to see if they can settle the score.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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