Before the start of spring training, decision-makers of the Tampa Bay Rays sought to devise a path to success. After all, they seem to say to one another, this is a successful franchise but missed the post-season for the past two seasons. We need to find a way back.
Immediately, they knew the Rays would not overpower teams, would not bang the baseball around any major league ballpark and certainly not compete in games with crooked numbers. These might include 10-8, 9-7 or 12-8 contests.
Recognizing the talent assembled and creating a best path forward, the devised strategy centered on getting runners into scoring position with less than two outs. Of particulate importance was some how have runners reach third with less than two outs.
That approach clearly worked.
The Rays developed a penchant of moving runners around, pressuring the opposing defense and the utilization of speed to force opponents into mistakes at inopportune time.
Both manager Kevin Cash and Erik Neander, the club’s president of baseball operation, then put in motion a framework from which this initial strategy could be implemented. Speed was centered around outfielder Chandler Simpson, arguably the fastest runner in the majors, the players’ ability to execute the bunt, a timely hit-and-run and take an extra base on any given outfielder.
“What we have done is a product of the players we have,” Cash said during a zoom call with reporters after the Rays’ workout at Yankee Stadium between games two and three of the ALDS. “This started in spring training and is based on early contact in counts from our hitters.”
The result was an amalgam of mathematical gems.
Consider –
- The Rays lead the American League in stolen bases (164)
- Led the AL in hits (1,405)
- Led AL in runs scored (736)
- Led Al in triples (22)
- Led AL in walks (512)
- Led the AL in team batting average (.258)
In leading the AL in team batting, that was 10 points higher than the subsequent team. The Kansas City Royals hit .248 and the Toronto Blue Jays hit, as a team, .247.
“They make you play a clean game,” New York Yankees lefty Max Fried told mlb.com. “If you don’t do that, they capitalize.” Fried will start game three of this series for New York in Yankee Stadium.
The image forged by the Rays was no accident.
At the same time, Neander compiled a team which would address the strategy laid out in spring training. That included taking advantage of Simpson’s speed and his uncanny ability to slap the ball to all fields, execution of the running game, and a penchant to force opposing defenses into critical errors.
That was evident in game two of the current ALDS series. That’s when the Yankees committed three, first inning errors and fourth error on catcher’s interference. At one point in this game, the Yankees committed more errors than they were able to collect hits.
Perhaps most important, players have bought into the approach of “small ball” and the Rays’ ability to create, and manufacture runs at critical points of a game.
“The identity of our team speaks to the versatility that we have,” said outfielder Jonny DeLuca on a zoom call with reporters between games two and three. “Guys like Chandler and many of our guys are quick, fast and put the ball in play. In the playoffs, that makes a huge difference and that’s whether it’s getting down the line, baserunning or defense; whatever it is. I think the speed is a huge asset to our game and helps us a great deal.”
While Fried will try and slow down the Rays’ express, righty Nick Martinez gets the ball from Cash. Martinez turned in a 15-6, 3.10 ERA for 31 starts season in 2026. Overall in post-season competition, he had appeared in six games with San Diego and Cincinnati, and his record is 0-0 with a 3.18 ERA.
“As a kid watching the Yankees in the post-season, and winning a bunch of World Series, it seemed they were always been in the playoffs since the time I’ve watched baseball,” Martinez said during a zoom call with reporters before games two and three. “To pitch (in New York), should be a lot of fun. I know it will be electric and what this what you dream as a kid. That’s to pitch in Yankee Stadium in the playoffs.”
