2026 Tampa Bay Rays Live Start

Art Deco · 03-26-2026, 12:24 PM

It's time for another season, and therefore it's time for more of my Rays "pre-plays" using the actual day's lineups and rosters to predict how today's game might turn out.

Also a side note: Six ongoing Rays dynasties are enough to write about (plus this daily pre-play) so I'm not going to be writing up a 2026 Rays dynasty thread even though I'm playing one. Enough is enough and all that.

Anyway here's Opening Day, and it might be ugly for Tampa Bay:

AZTarHeel · 03-26-2026, 12:26 PM

Honored to be your first view! Best of luck to the Rays. It can only get better, right?

Art Deco · 03-28-2026, 12:47 PM

Art Deco · 03-29-2026, 01:50 PM

2-for-2 so far in calling the outcome, hopefully it's 3-for-3:

Art Deco · 03-30-2026, 04:51 PM

3-for-3 so far in calling the result, hoping to be wrong today for once:

Art Deco · 03-31-2026, 05:02 PM

Tonight marks Shane McClanahan's return to the Rays rotation for the first time since August 2023.

Art Deco · 04-01-2026, 11:56 AM

Art Deco · 04-03-2026, 01:46 PM

A roster move: Reliever Garrett Cleavinger goes on the IL with calf tightness and Hunter Bigge is recalled from Durham.

Meanwhile we've been right on 5 of 6 games so far and today it says the Tampa Bay bats will be as cold as the Minnesota weather:

Art Deco · 04-04-2026, 04:34 PM

Hoping the accuracy streak continues:

Art Deco · 04-05-2026, 11:58 AM

Art Deco · 04-06-2026, 01:35 PM

One transaction: Taylor Walls is activated off the IL and Carson Williams is sent to Durham.

The Rays return today to Tropicana Field for the first time since September 2024 after Hurricane Milton tore off the roof in October that year.

If the 8 out of 9 games called correctly level of accuracy continues it will not be a happy return to the Trop:

Art Deco · 04-07-2026, 04:19 PM

Drew Rasmussen was supposed to start tonight for the Rays but his wife is about to give birth so he was scratched and put on the paternity list. They had not called someone up by the time of this post, so we went a pitcher short.

Art Deco · 04-08-2026, 04:32 PM

The Rays do end up putting Drew Rasmussen on the paternity list and call up Jesse Scholtens from Durham.

9 of 11 so far this year calling the winner, but I'm pretty confident the game won't go like this:

Art Deco · 04-10-2026, 04:13 PM

Jesse Scholtens is returned to Durham and Joe Rock is recalled as the bullpen revolving door continues to spin.

Now up to picking the winner 10 of 12 times so far, I might be tempted to start betting on these.

Art Deco · 04-11-2026, 03:51 PM

Somehow Jesse Scholtens returned. Starter Joe Boyle went on the IL with an elbow strain so Scholtens is back a day after he was sent down. As a result the Rays are rocking a 10-man bullpen tonight with Rasmussen also out but he'll be back tomorrow to start so expect another Scholtens move.

Art Deco · 04-12-2026, 12:00 PM

Drew Rasmussen comes off the paternity list to start today and Joe Rock is sent back to Durham after a one-game cameo.

My fantasy team would like it if Zach Neto were to really hit 3 homers today.

Art Deco · 04-14-2026, 05:11 PM

I refreshed the live start to update the stats and records, and perhaps any ratings that have changed in the first 2 1/2 weeks. So far OOTP has called the result 80% of the time (12/15).

Tonight the Rays go against top Chicago prospect Noah Schultz in his MLB debut, which OOTP thinks isn't going to go too well:

Art Deco · 04-15-2026, 04:22 PM

And we keep going with the correct calls here, now at 82% (13/16), and hoping it's 14 of 17:

Art Deco · 04-16-2026, 01:21 PM

Going for the sweep, and 14/17 accuracy so far indicates it might happen:

Art Deco · 04-17-2026, 04:18 PM

Up to 15/18 in calling the outcome, would be a good night to be wrong because otherwise this is ugly:

03-26-2026, 12:24 PM	#1
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	2026 Tampa Bay Rays Live Start It's time for another season, and therefore it's time for more of my Rays "pre-plays" using the actual day's lineups and rosters to predict how today's game might turn out. Also a side note: Six ongoing Rays dynasties are enough to write about (plus this daily pre-play) so I'm not going to be writing up a 2026 Rays dynasty thread even though I'm playing one. Enough is enough and all that. Anyway here's Opening Day, and it might be ugly for Tampa Bay:

03-26-2026, 12:26 PM	#2
AZTarHeel All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,746	Honored to be your first view! Best of luck to the Rays. It can only get better, right? __________________ Current Dynasties Baseball's Rebirth in the Old North State (1945-) The Tobacco State League: A Summer With the Red Springs Red Robins From the Way-Back Machine (WAY old dynasty stories): The Steve Victory Story: Tournament Dreams College Basketball! Baseball In The Tar Heel State: A Fictional Experience The Arizona League: Real Players. Fictional Teams

03-28-2026, 12:47 PM	#3
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	March 28: at St. Louis

03-29-2026, 01:50 PM	#4
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	March 29: at St. Louis 2-for-2 so far in calling the outcome, hopefully it's 3-for-3:

03-30-2026, 04:51 PM	#5
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	March 30: at Milwaukee 3-for-3 so far in calling the result, hoping to be wrong today for once:

03-31-2026, 05:02 PM	#6
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	March 31: vs Milwaukee Tonight marks Shane McClanahan's return to the Rays rotation for the first time since August 2023.

04-01-2026, 11:56 AM	#7
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	Aprli 1: at Milwaukee

04-03-2026, 01:46 PM	#8
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 3: at Minnesota A roster move: Reliever Garrett Cleavinger goes on the IL with calf tightness and Hunter Bigge is recalled from Durham. Meanwhile we've been right on 5 of 6 games so far and today it says the Tampa Bay bats will be as cold as the Minnesota weather:

04-04-2026, 04:34 PM	#9
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 4: at Minnesota Hoping the accuracy streak continues:

04-05-2026, 11:58 AM	#10
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 5: at Minnesota

04-06-2026, 01:35 PM	#11
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 6: vs Chicago Cubs One transaction: Taylor Walls is activated off the IL and Carson Williams is sent to Durham. The Rays return today to Tropicana Field for the first time since September 2024 after Hurricane Milton tore off the roof in October that year. If the 8 out of 9 games called correctly level of accuracy continues it will not be a happy return to the Trop:

04-07-2026, 04:19 PM	#12
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 7: vs Chicago Cubs Drew Rasmussen was supposed to start tonight for the Rays but his wife is about to give birth so he was scratched and put on the paternity list. They had not called someone up by the time of this post, so we went a pitcher short.

04-08-2026, 04:32 PM	#13
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 8: vs Chicago Cubs The Rays do end up putting Drew Rasmussen on the paternity list and call up Jesse Scholtens from Durham. 9 of 11 so far this year calling the winner, but I'm pretty confident the game won't go like this:

04-10-2026, 04:13 PM	#14
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 10: vs NY Yankees Jesse Scholtens is returned to Durham and Joe Rock is recalled as the bullpen revolving door continues to spin. Now up to picking the winner 10 of 12 times so far, I might be tempted to start betting on these.

04-11-2026, 03:51 PM	#15
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 11: vs NY Yankees Somehow Jesse Scholtens returned. Starter Joe Boyle went on the IL with an elbow strain so Scholtens is back a day after he was sent down. As a result the Rays are rocking a 10-man bullpen tonight with Rasmussen also out but he'll be back tomorrow to start so expect another Scholtens move.

04-12-2026, 12:00 PM	#16
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 12: at NY Yankees Drew Rasmussen comes off the paternity list to start today and Joe Rock is sent back to Durham after a one-game cameo. My fantasy team would like it if Zach Neto were to really hit 3 homers today.

04-14-2026, 05:11 PM	#17
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 14: at Chicago White Sox I refreshed the live start to update the stats and records, and perhaps any ratings that have changed in the first 2 1/2 weeks. So far OOTP has called the result 80% of the time (12/15). Tonight the Rays go against top Chicago prospect Noah Schultz in his MLB debut, which OOTP thinks isn't going to go too well:

04-15-2026, 04:22 PM	#18
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 15: at Chicago White Sox And we keep going with the correct calls here, now at 82% (13/16), and hoping it's 14 of 17:

04-16-2026, 01:21 PM	#19
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 16: at Chicago White Sox Going for the sweep, and 14/17 accuracy so far indicates it might happen:

04-17-2026, 04:18 PM	#20
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,936	April 17: at Pittsburgh Up to 15/18 in calling the outcome, would be a good night to be wrong because otherwise this is ugly: