How can the Tampa Bay Rays handle their current period of inconsistency?

TAMPA, Fla. – The ebb and flow of a major season can be maddening. Winning streaks, losing streaks, injuries, suspensions, surprises, and disasters all figure into the equation.

For teams to acknowledge improvement and cite positive direction, the uneven nature of a season can be debilitating. If you’re the Tampa Bay Rays, and you’re trying to extricate yourself from the disaster of the 2024 season, failure cannot be tolerated. Yet, the Rays are walking a tightrope between tantalizing results and abject failure.

Coming into a game with the Phillies on May 7, the Rays were three games under .500 (16-19) and in need of creating a streak of, say, eight wins in 10 games, 12 out of 15, or something similar. That would establish a uniform pattern of execution and provide a boost to accelerate performance.

Old habits are difficult to shake.

After dropping a 7-0 decision to the Phillies on May 7 at home, the Rays had lost six games of their previous eight contests. Held to two hits, two walks and only four baserunners in that May 7 loss, the Rays appeared to have reached a point of no return.

The defeat was the sixth shutout loss of the season and ties the Pirates for most in the majors. The Rays have been shut out six times in their eight games against starting left-handed pitching, including that loss to Cristopher Sanchez on May 7.

“We are really feeling it, right now,” acknowledged manager Kevin Cash after that shutout to the Phillies. “We are completely out of sync. I don’t know, I do not have any answers at this point.”

Over the course of the opening month and one-half of the season, the Rays managed one five-game winning and one losing streak of three and two of four straight loses.

“Good teams and bad teams will go through this, but the good teams get out of this quicker,” said Rays outfielder Travis Jankowski, now in his 12th major league season and eighth club. “Teams can turn this inconsistency into a pattern and the last thing you want to do is hit the panic button. You have to nip this in the bud as soon as you can, without turning this into a straight panic. Many times, you have to do less and let the game come to you. Understand we are in a rut right now. The way I see this and the optimism in me says we’re getting this out of the way in late April and early May. Other teams might hit this in August and September. Hopefully, we’re nipping this in the bud now and it’s smooth sailing from here on out.”

If teams address the irregularities in their game, some argue the talent of players could be a deciding factor. That might determine the direction of a collective effort and ability, and execution clearly complements the required components of emotion and intensity.

Not that those who manage major league baseball teams are great psychologists or behavioral theorists. Rather, the game can be complicated, and at the same time, easy to understand. Many content hitting a baseball at 95 plus miles-per-hour remains one of the most challenging tasks in any sport, and others argue experience and talent represent those variables destined to assist teams out of prolonged periods of misery.

“The temperament of the manager and the coaches has lots to do with that,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “You try and keep an even keel, and especially with you have talent, like we have. You know eventually the talent will rise to the top. Inside you might be going up and down but when you’re out here and talking to those guys, it’s steady as she goes.”

On the diamond … after a promising start to the season, Shane Baz (now 3-2, 4.93 ERA) appears to have the wall. In dropping that 7-0 decision to the Phillies May 7, the right-hander has now experienced difficulties in three of his previous four starts.  In his latest bout with futility against the Phillies, Baz lasted 3.1 innings and surrendered six runs. An elevated pitch count was an important factor in his early exit. When he exited in the fourth, Baz threw a combined 45 pitches over his final 1.1 innings and 85 for this outing. “Did not execute my pitches the way I wanted,” he said afterward. “It’s definitely location. It comes down to the pitch-to-pitch execution. Sometimes the game doesn’t make sense, and you get unlucky. Sometimes things go your way, and sometimes, it doesn’t. All you can do is show up for your next start and pitch better.”  

Next …  After the current Phillies series concludes Thursday night, the Milwaukee Brewers are in for a three-game set. In the opener Friday night, look for righty Zack Littell (2-5, 4.61 ERA) to oppose lefty Jose Quintana (4-1, 2.83). On Saturday, it’s righty Taj Bradley (3-2, 4.43) facing righty Tobais Myers (1-0, 3.65). In the Sunday finale, righty Drew Rasmussen (1-3, 3.09) goes for the Rays. The Brewers are undecided on their starter. Then, Tampa Bay is off on a 6-game road trip for three in Toronto and three in Miami. The Rays return to Steinbrenner Field on May 19 and face Houston.

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