Rays not surprised by current surge

TAMPA, Fla. – The baseball world may be astonished, but not the Tampa Bay Rays. Within a four-week period, the Rays won 20 of 27 games (between May 20 and June 18) and that is the best in the majors. This surge did surprise, but themselves.

Within that span, the Rays vaulted into second place in the American League East (2.5 games behind the AL East division-leading New York Yankees) and now among top Wild Card contenders. While manager Kevin Cash cautions, “there is a lot of baseball to be played,” the Rays’ turnaround is as dramatic as noteworthy.

Here’s a team that languished through a 14-16 month of April (including four in March) and started the current surge when Taylor Walls’ sacrifice fly drove in the winning run for a 3-2 walk-off victory over Houston on May 20. Since, the team dropped back-to-back games once and that was consecutive contests to the Red Sox on June 10 and 11.

Still, the method of winning, anchored by strong pitching and hitters not taking many strikes, propelled the Rays to the top of the American League leader board.

“Even when we had the rough stretch in the beginning, it didn’t feel like anybody was panicking or taking it too hard,” said pitcher Shane Baz. “I wouldn’t say, ‘I’m shocked.’ It’s just a matter of pitching and hitting on the same night, and our defense is so good.”

Among those factors contributing to the improvement, consider the starting pitching and the bat of Brandon Lowe, the second baseman.

In the Rays first 73 games, the starting rotation started 72 games. The one non-starter effort was turned by Joe Boyle, who defeated Atlanta on April 13.

“This says to their own individual testament of preparation, taking care of their bodies, work between starts, and definitely the medical staff,” said catcher Danny Jansen. “It’s just a hungry group of guys who will do whatever it takes to give us the best chance to win. Again, it’s a huge testament to their preparation.”

Plus, consider the bat of Lowe, who will be 31 years old on July 6, and his torrid pace. Batting .481 in games between June 11 and June 18, and in games between May 13 and June 18, he scored 32 runs in those 33 games. On May 4, Lowe was hitting .203 but raised his average to .266 after 74 games (June 18).

“(Lowe’s) veteran presence, for us, is very big,” Cash said. “Brandon should be at the top of the list (AL second baseman for All-Star consideration) and have an opportunity to represent the Rays. You need to look where he came from, and his first month was a challenge. Statistically, maybe he was not up there but he’s caught fire here in recent weeks and deserves serious consideration.”

When baseball does not count … in the eighth inning of the Rays’ 4-1 defeat to Baltimore on June 19, perhaps the most feared moment in the game transpired. With the count at 3-2 to Adley Rutschman, the Orioles’ catcher blistered a searing line drive into the Rays’ dugout along the first base side. The total force hit Tampa Bay reliever Hunter Bigge directly on the face. Though the reliever remained conscious, the blow left his teammates in shock. “Terrifying,’ is the way starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen described the moment. “Hunter is a great human, for starters. You never want to see anyone get hurt in any regard. Anything to the head is equally terrifying. It’s crazy just how quickly things can go sour. As far as the loss to Baltimore, who cares? This is a friend, he’s a husband, a son, and there are so many more things that are important than the game of baseball,” Rasmussen added. Bigge was taken from the Rays’ dugout on a stretcher and rushed immediately for emergency care. Cash told reporters several tests would be conducted overnight, and the Rays would have more information later. To complicate matters, Bigge was recovering from a right lat sprain and has been on Injured Reserve since May 2. For the current season, the 27 year-old out of Orlando appeared in 13 games, has a 0-0 record and 2.40 ERA.

On Friday during his usual pre-game presser, Cash had no substantial medical update. Cash said he visited Bigge in the hospital and said Bigge was alert and stable. Biggs’s parents took a red eye from San Francisco to be at his bed side.

Also, Cash said Bigge was not close to being activated and currently on IR with a lat shoulder strain.

Immediately, I thought of Cleveland pitcher Herb Score, who was by a line drive in the face in the mid-1950s and never really recovered.

Next … the biggest series of the season for Tampa Bay, to date, takes place at Steinbrenner Field this weekend. The Detroit Tigers, with the best record in the game, visit Tampa Bay, and the Rays are currently the hottest team. In a stroke of luck, the Rays will miss lefty Tarik Skubal (8-2, 2.06 ERA), the reigning Cy Young award winner. Skubal beat the Pirates on June 19 and will miss the Rays series. In the opener Friday, it’s righty Shane Baz (6-3, 4.54 ERA) for Tampa Bay and draws veteran righthander Jack Flaherty (5-7, 4.03) as his mount opponent. On Saturday, look for righty Ryan Pepiot (4-6, 3.11) opposing Detroit righty Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-0, 3.97). In the Sunday finale, it’s righty Zack Littell (6-7, 3.88) goes for the Rays and opposes righthander Casey Mize (7-2, 2.96). The Rays then embark on a six-game road trip for three in Kansas City and then three in Baltimore.

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