Tampa Bay Rays News and Links: IT’S DRAFT DAY!

Tonight, the 2017 MLB Draft will commence with the first two rounds going tonight, rounds 3-10 will take place tomorrow and then the rest of the drafts 40 rounds will finish out on Wednesday.

MLB Network will broadcast the first 36 picks tonight, starting with a preview show at 6:00. The Tampa Bay Rays will have two of those selections (4th and 31st). Meanwhile, MLB.com will have continuing coverage through the end of the second round tonight.

As for actual games, the Tampa Bay Rays won on every day this weekend, taking a series victory over the Oakland Athletics as they took three of four games. The Rays are now 34-32 on the season, and have moved up to 3rd in the AL East, but they are still six games back of the division leading Yankees. However, the Rays are now tied for the second wild card spot with the Cleveland Indians.

• The New York Times published a piece on the Rays double header and looked back at other scheduled double headers
• Aaron Judge nearly hit a ball 500 feet
• Beat the Freeze is currently the best between inning promotion in baseball, the evidence is right here
• Marc Topkin has a write-up on the importance of the Rays selections tonight