Game 1: Although they started the season playing well in AL East ballparks, lately it's been a problem as they lost their 7th in their last 10 such games in a meek performance tonight, dropping a 4-0 decision to the Yankees. And it wasn't like they were facing Gerrit Cole, instead it was Cody Deason and Zack Pop who held them to 5 hits tonight. Matt Manning got the start and met the bare definition of a quality start going 6 5 3 3 2 7, Aaron Ashby gave up a run in his brief outing, and Jack Perkins looked strong again, going 1 2/3 and whiffing a pair, giving him 5 shutout innings with 0 runs or walks and 9 whiffs in his 3 appearances. Unfortunately I have to start mentioning the division again because as the Rays have dropped 3 of their last 4 Baltimore keeps winning and the 12-game lead is down to 8 1/2. Still in good shape, but not a good trend.
Some trade news:
After half a season, I finally pulled the plug on Lewin Diaz, who just never could hit. It was kind of fitting he made the final out of a shutout in last night's game as he ended his Rays tenure 198/237/374. Despite his underlying skills supporting much better numbers, I finally had it as he showed no signs of snapping out of it as a Ray. The return isn't that bad considering he's a FA at year's end. Florido has 60 stuff and 55 control, but has to clear waivers to be sent to Durham as he's out of options. For now, he'll sit in my DFA area for the 7 days and I'll see if we have some kind of injury opening that allows him to join the big club, otherwise he'll go on waivers. Kash was the Padres' 4th round pick in 2025, a 1B who's hit for average with potential 60 power and will go to Class-A Bowling Green. Doubt he ever amounts to a lot, but he's got some mild potential. To take Diaz's spot on the active roster, welcome back Alec Bohm, who will now platoon with Triston Casas at 1B. Although Bohm did hit 17 HR in 227 AB at Durham, he only hit .227 doing so but some of that was probably due to being pissed at being sent down. Either way I expect this combo to do at least what Diaz did, and probably more. Casas had been heating up with a couple of homers this week.
Game 2: Another uninspiring performance as they suffered their third walk-off loss in 5 games and fourth overall as they fell 4-3 to the Yankees in 10 innings. The offense was lame again, only managing 6 hits. Those hits did lead to 3 runs today, with Keibert Ruiz's RBI double in the first and Keston Hiura's 2-run HR in the 3rd (#18) giving them an early 3-0 lead. But the Yankees chipped away at Mack Anglin, and although technically none of the 3 runs he allowed were unearned, 3 errors behind him didn't help him either as the rookie went 6 6 3 3 2 6. Steven Casey struck out the side in a 1-2-3 inning, Liam Hendriks got a couple of outs as did Jose Alvarado, but the Yankees got to Jasseel De La Cruz in the 10th when Tommy Edman doubled with 2 out and scored on an Andrew Knizner single as the pair of former Cardinals teamed up to give New York the win. Triston Casas celebrated his new job as the regular 1B against RHP by striking out all 4 times up, while Judson Fabian also got the golden sombrero with 4 whiffs in an 0-5 day. And the Orioles won their 7 straight so the lead is now down to 7 1/2.
Game 3: Like their real-life counterparts in 2020's just-concluded postseason, the Rays today could only score via the HR. Fortunately they hit 5 of them to beat the Yankees 7-5. Two were courtesy of Wander Franco: he hit #26 off Gerrit Cole in the 1st inning to put the Rays on the board, and then launched #27 with Nick Gonzales aboard to make it 4-2 in the 3rd. After the Yankees tied it at 4, Triston Casas hit #6 in the 6th to give him 3 for the week (3 more than Lewin Diaz has hit recently) to make it 5-4. But for the third time in the game the Yankees leveled the score again, this time on a Chase Davis HR off Ben Bowden in the 7th (a same-handed blast). But in the top of the 8th, Hunter Bishop hit #20 leading off the inning and Bramdon Perez (playing for Judson Fabian) immediately followed with #8, and Jack Perkins and Jose Alvarado held on to the fourth lead of the day for the win. Shane McClanahan started and wasn't very good (6 8 4 4 3 4), surrendering the lead twice, and after Bowden gave up another lead Perkins came on and pitched well once again, going 1 2/3 and allowing only a walk to pick up his first MLB win. With four lefties in a row leading off the 9th, Alvarado came in and got save #5 despite walking one of them. And to further calm the nerves, Baltimore was shut out in San Francisco so the lead is back up to 8 1/2.
Team record: 80-36. Next up: back home for 3 with the San Diego Padres in a rematch of the 2023 World Series, which went well. It starts a homestand where we face recently traded Rays, the Padres with Lewin Diaz and after that Heston Kjerstad and the Rangers come to town. Kjerstad has been raking for Texas, hitting 368/422/671 with 7 HR in 76 AB, while Diaz homered in his Padres debut of course (remember he hit a pair in his Rays debut and how well that ended up going).