Breaking down the Rays’ red-hot first half
This story was excerpted from Adam Berry’s Rays Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it usually in your inbox.
PHOENIX — The Rays reached the midway level of their season with a 3-1 win over the Royals on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field.
Eighty-one video games down. Eighty-one to go.
“Very pleased,” supervisor Kevin Cash stated. “You look at it like, ‘Man, we’ve worked hard to get to this spot,’ and now we want to just do everything we can to kind of maintain it and do everything we can to keep as close to the pace we’ve had as possible.”
That’s a tall order, which speaks to how properly their first half went. They gained two of each three video games they performed, with an MLB-leading 54-27 file and only one three-game shedding streak all season.
The Rays entered Monday’s off-day on certainly one of their weakest runs, going 6-7 with a collection loss to the Padres and collection splits towards the A’s, Orioles and Royals, however they continue to be atop the American League East (and MLB.com’s Power Rankings) for good cause.
“We’ve been playing really well all season, and we’ve maintained it throughout the season as well,” starter Tyler Glasnow stated. “It’s not really been like a bunch of ups and downs, and we’ve kind of been steady and it’s just a very reassuring feeling.”
Before the second half of the schedule begins, let’s look again on the first 81 video games.
First-half MVP(s)
Randy Arozarena, Yandy Díaz and Wander Franco have all performed such huge elements within the Rays’ first-half success, it’s not possible to choose simply certainly one of them.
Arozarena’s case is obvious. He’s tied for the staff lead with 14 homers and leads the membership with 54 RBIs, and he’s hitting .292/.405/.485 whereas taking part in greater than anyone on the staff. The manner he quickly developed into such an entire hitter is astonishing. (Honestly, increase your hand if you happen to had Arozarena main the AL in on-base share 81 video games in.) He’s additionally rapidly solid a particular relationship with followers that brings further power to the ballpark most nights.
Díaz has additionally taken a step ahead this yr, including energy to his persistence on the plate. From the leadoff spot, he units the tone for every part the Rays lineup has accomplished. He’s nonetheless drawing walks and never placing out a lot, together with his on-base abilities placing him in place to attain a team-high 51 runs, however his capability to get extra of his hard-hit balls within the air has boosted his slash line to .316/.404/.518 with a team-leading 159 OPS+.
Finally, Franco leads the Rays — and all non-Shohei Ohtani gamers within the AL, the truth is — with 4.0 Wins Above Replacement. The 22-year-old switch-hitter is batting .287/.350/.461 with 9 homers and a whopping 25 stolen bases. (Only two different gamers in franchise historical past have had not less than 25 steals within the staff’s first 81 video games: Carl Crawford 3 times and B.J. Upton as soon as.) The shortstop has additionally been one of many Majors’ greatest defensive gamers at any place; he ranked fifth as of Monday with 12 Defensive Runs Saved and tied for first with 10 Outs Above Average.
First-half Cy Young
Zach Eflin has been nice, however this one is fairly simple: It’s Shane McClanahan. The lefty is 11-1 with a 2.23 ERA, greatest within the Majors, together with 100 strikeouts in 93 innings over 16 outings. The Rays have misplaced solely three video games he’s began. If he stays wholesome — and his latest bout with mid-back tightness was a scare, if nothing else — he’ll be within the AL Cy Young Award dialog.
Biggest shock
Everyone knew the Rays would pitch properly and play good protection, however who predicted this offensive manufacturing? The greatest shock has been not solely their energy, however the depth of their lineup.
They’re third within the Majors with 123 residence runs, second with an .802 OPS and second with 451 runs scored. Nine hitters have not less than 9 homers, and 9 hitters personal an OPS+ of not less than 100. Isaac Paredes and Jose Siri have stepped into larger roles, Luke Raley and Josh Lowe have helped stability the lineup, and Harold Ramírez simply retains hitting.
Biggest disappointment
Two stand out: the accidents to starters Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen, which instantly examined the rotation’s depth, and the bullpen’s general inconsistent efficiency (with the caveat that the group appears to have stabilized a bit this month).
Both issue into the best way Tampa Bay is prone to strategy the Trade Deadline. Considering the place they’re within the standings and their perception that that is doubtlessly a particular staff, the Rays will probably be energetic of their efforts to enhance their roster within the coming weeks.
Specifically, count on Tampa Bay to be looking out for bullpen upgrades — take into accout Andrew Kittredge will return sooner or later after the break, too — and extra rotation depth. The Rays are arrange properly with the front-line foursome of McClanahan, Glasnow, Eflin and Taj Bradley, however one other dependable starter may assist down the stretch.
Also spectacular: The Rays are 34-10 at Tropicana Field. They are 11-1-2 in collection play at residence and the one staff with out a three-game residence shedding streak this season. (They’ve misplaced back-to-back residence video games … as soon as, on April 25-26.)
