The Tampa Bay Rays had a season for the books. This season brought the third-best record in all of baseball to Tampa. It brought so many offensive highlights, defensive highs, and amazing pitching performances. Although it might not have been the desired outcome that fans wanted, this season proved that Tampa is a team to be reckoned with and that they are here to stay. The Rays will be a dominant team for years to come. With the amount of young talent combined with Tampa Bay’s veteran leadership, the Rays are going to make a stand in the MLB for the coming years.
Early On
The beginning of the season saw the Rays hit the gas. In April and May, the Rays had a record of 35-20, with only six losses in May. The Rays were clicking on all cylinders, and at one point, the Rays went on an 11-game winning streak to absolutely tear through the rest of the league. We saw dominant pitching performances from the likes of Shane McClanahan and many others. McClanahan looked dialed in every single outing. He finished the season with a 10-6 record with 123.1 innings pitched and made a strong case for the Rays MVP of the season. Fans should be ecstatic to have Shane on their roster for years to come; he’s going to continue to light up the rest of the league while being a dependable number one option.
Mid-Season Woes
June and July brought some challenges for the organization. In May, we saw an 11-game winning streak that propelled the beginning of the season for Tampa. However, June brought a seven-game losing streak to bring that momentum to a screeching halt. The Rays dropped consecutive series’ to the White Sox and Mariners. This caused fans to scratch their heads and wonder if this team is the real deal. Brandon Lowe was a strong catalyst for the Rays turnaround. The 27-year-old brought the energy and the fire that Tampa desperately needed to pull themselves out of this skid. Lowe showed true leadership qualities and made every single plate appearance count. Lowe showed fans and the entire MLB why Tampa Bay is one of the most dominant teams in baseball.
Wrapping Up
The end of the season was very similar to the beginning in the sense that the Rays were dominating the rest of the league. August, September, and October brought amazing pitching performances from the likes of Michael Wacha, Luis Patiño, and others. The Rays were on fire during this span. As a result, Tampa easily won the AL East and clinched the best record in the American League. The Rays were crushing the ball during the end of the season, as well. Veteran Nelson Cruz was hitting the cover off the ball which kick-started the Rays to fire on all cylinders at the plate.
Playoffs
The playoffs brought the Rays season to an abrupt end. Dropping three straight to Boston was not what the Rays wanted to happen but unfortunately, that’s how the cards were dealt. The 2021 season should not be taken on a negative note; this season proved to fans and the rest of the league that Tampa is as legit as they come. With the young core that the Rays possess combined with veterans who can mentor the younger players, fans should be on the edge of their seats waiting for next season.
Stat Leaders
- Hits- Randy Arozarena (145)
- Home Runs- Brandon Lowe (39)
- RBI’s (Runs Batted In)- Austin Meadows (106)
- Stolen Bases- Randy Arozarena (20)
- Base on Balls (Walks)- Yandy Diaz (69)
- Average- Wander Franco (.288)
- Slugging Percentage- Mike Zunino (.559)
- On Base Percentage- Randy Arozarena (.356)
- Games Played- Brandon Lowe (149)
- Runs- Brandon Lowe (97)
- Doubles- Randy Arozarena (32)
- Triples- Kevin Kiermaier (7)