Finally! The Rays’ bullpen did what it is supposed to do: close out games. The Rays snapped their two-game losing streak in Minnesota by beating the Twins 5-2 in ten innings.
Returning to last Tuesday’s game against the Athletics, the bullpen has not been good. They have blown one lead and two save opportunities, which is directly related to the Rays’ fall in the American League East.
Mason Montgomery was the culprit on Tuesday night. Montgomery entered the game in the tenth inning with the Rays and the Athletics tied 3-3. Montgomery walked one and allowed one hit as the Athletics beat the Rays 4-3 in ten innings.
Friday night in Minnesota, Harrison Bader greeted Kevin Kelly with a solo home run on the first pitch in the ninth inning, his second home run to give the Twins the walk-off 4-3 win.
It was Garrett Cleavinger’s turn on Saturday afternoon as he walked Byron Buxton to start the ninth. That was followed by a Willi Castro single, and then Brooks Lee laid down a perfect bunt, scoring Buxton as the Twins beat the Rays 6-5.
On Sunday afternoon, the Rays’ bullpen came through. Pete Fairbanks recorded five outs total, pitching in the eighth and ninth innings, and then Eric Orze shut the door in the tenth inning as the Rays salvaged the finale of the three-game series in Minnesota, 7-5 in ten innings.
The Rays have lost their last three series’ to Baltimore, the Athletics, and Minnesota—all sub-par .500 teams.
This is the time of year when you want to see teams start to make that run and grab hold of a playoff spot, but if the bullpen can’t hold a lead, there is not much you can do.
The Rays are 3-6 in their last nine games with Detroit and Boston on the horizon. The Tigers have the best record in the American League, and the good news for the Rays is that they will not face the AL’s best pitcher, Tarik Skubal. The Rays are 2-1 against the Tigers this season.
So, what has happened to the Rays’ bullpen? What was once a strength of the team is now looking like a below-average pen.
Mason Montgomery and Edwin Uceta have both struggled this year. The Rays were counting on them to be key contributors to the bullpen, and they have been anything but. Montgomery is 1-2 with a 5.74 ERA after finishing last year with a 1.86 ERA in eight appearances. Uceta is 5-1, but his ERA is 5.45, and he has given up eight home runs. Uceta was 2-0 with five saves and a 1.51 ERA last season. In 30 games last season, Uceta gave up just two home runs.
Manny Rodriguez and Hunter Bigge, both on the DL, have been the bright spots in the Rays’ pen this season. Pete Fairbanks and Kevin Kelly have been good but have struggled in some outings lately.
With the trade deadline fast approaching, Tampa Bay will need to make decisions about the bullpen. Should they ride with what they have or go and get another solid reliever or two?
With the Rays in the running for a playoff spot, I don’t want to see a reclamation project or someone with potential. If they decide to get another reliever or two, let’s get someone with some experience and a proven track record.
Garret Cleavinger doesn’t seem too concerned as he says it is just part of the ebb and flow of the season, and this bullpen collapse was just a blip on the radar screen. “I think it’s just baseball. You know, it kind of ebbs and flows, and you kind of gotta take it in stride. I know this group will bounce back and we’ll be just fine.”
Other Notes:
—The Rays recalled right-hander Joe Boyle from Durham, who pitched in the Rays’ win Sunday Afternoon. Boyle has been the best pitcher in the International League this season with a 7-1 record and a 1.85 ERA.
Boyle pitched five innings of no-hit ball earlier this season against Atlanta, and Sunday, against the Twins pitched five innings, giving up one run on two hits while striking out seven.
In two appearances with the Rays, Boyle is 1-0 with an ERA of 0.00 over ten innings.
—On Sunday, second basemen Brandon Lowe and first basemen Jonathan Aranda were named to the American League All-Star team.
Lowe is having the best season of his career, hitting .274 with nineteen homers and driving in fifty runs. This is Lowe’s second All-Star game, as he appeared in the game in 2019.
Aranda was named to his first All-Star team, a well-deserved honor, as he has been the Rays’ first-half MVP. He is hitting .320 with ten homers and 47 runs batted in.