After the first series of the season, a disturbing design could be detected. Therein could lie an indicator for the Tampa Bay Rays and in their attempt to regain glory.
Here’s a team that did not qualify for the postseason the past two seasons. That was after a streak of five consecutive journeys to post-season play. Now, patterns of an unreliable bullpen and an offense absence of power surfaced.
Throughout the initial series against the St. Louis Cardinals, the starting pitching was considered reasonable Yet, the bullpen seemed to implode and bear witness to a demise through the first two games. These resulted in losses.
In the season opener, the Rays held a 7-1 lead, blew that lead, and lost by a 9-7 margin. In the second contest, the club fought back from down 4-0, tied with a four-spot in the ninth and gained a one-run advantage in the 10th inning of the second game. Alas, they eventually dropped that one as well.
Plus, the absence of power was glaring.
Though the team banged out 41 hits in the three games against the Cardinals, only six went for extra-base hits. The Rays managed five doubles (17 hits for the game) in the 11-7 win on March 29 and five doubles and one homer (Jonathan Aranda) in that 9-7 season-opening loss.
Designated Hitter Yandy Diaz, who started the season with a .563 batting average after the Cardinals series, told the Tampa Bay Times, “we have a lot of contact hitters on this team. The quote-unquote ‘big power bats’ might not necessarily be there, but the contact is there, and that’s what is our strength.”
While the Rays clearly made contact during the Cardinals’ series, it is the starting pitching and current rotation that could be a challenge.
For starters, right-hander Ryan Pepiot, who gave little sign of injury during spring training, was placed the IR with right hip inflammation on March 24. That’s just days before he was scheduled to take his first start of the season. As the injury is not considered serious, he could be back in the rotation as early as April 6 and participate in the home opening series against the Chicago Cubs.
The addition of veteran lefty Steven Matz could pose long-term concerns. While Matz began the season in the rotation and gained the Rays’ first win of the season on March 29 at St Louis, he started only nine times in his last 65 major league appearances.
The last season the 34-year-old was part of a starting rotation was with the 2023 St. Louis Cardinals. There, he started 17 of 25 appearances, went 4-7 with 3.86 ERA.
The addition of Matz complemented the return of lefty Shane McClanahan, who missed the past two seasons and is slated to take the mound Tuesday night, March 31 in Milwaukee. That would give the Rays a strong complement of righty-lefty starters (with righties Drew Rasmussen and Pepiot) and depend on Pepiot’s acceleration back to the rotation.
“We have a really great mix of good arms and experience,” said catcher Nick Fortes at the end of spring training. “The talent is there and it and it’s always been there. I think we’re in a good spot. Everyone is feeling good and healthy and that’s big. I like where we are at the moment and it should be fun to watch and see how these guys compete.”
Fortes spoke before the injury to Pepiot was announced and, for that opening series in St Louis, Joe Boyle took to the mound as his replacement. Though he surrendered two, first-inning runs on March 28, Boyle settled down and then retired 16 straight batters. Boyle left after six innings and is likely to gain at least one more start as the Rays await Pepiot’s return to the rotation.
Still, potential “red flags” are the bullpen.
After the initial two games of the season, Rays’ relievers allowed 12 runs and tied the 2006 Rays bullpen for the most runs allowed through the opening two games. Plus, this was the first time the bullpen took back-to-back losses in the opening two games of a season in franchise history.
If the opening games are any indication, pitching and defense remain the key components to winning. Players, coaches and management all like to expand on the importance of catching the baseball and record outs in high leverage situations.
Add the absence of power in the lineup, and a microcosm of the Rays, here in the first week, has emerged.