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Tampa Bay Rays News and Links: The Opener Turns 1

Plus: Yandy Diaz X-Rays come back negative, but his “intentional HBP” radar came back positive.

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at Los Angeles Angels Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Happy 1 year to The Opener

Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of Sergio Romo throwing a pitch in the 1st inning against the Angels. And with it, shockwaves of hot takes, wondering, debate (both good and bad faith), and discussions of what this meant for baseball? Was it good? Was it evil? Was it pointless? A lot of those debates still rage.

Now, I would be doing a major disservice if I didn’t mention Andrew Kittridge. Sure, most of baseball credits Romo as the 1st “Opener”, and even the Rays official tweet showcases the anniversary date of Romo’s Open. However, Rays fans know it wasn’t Sergio who was the true first Opener, but actually Andrew Kittridge earlier in the year who was the middle reliever who got the 1st inning duty. When Sergio Romo did it, a well known World Series champion closer, it commanded headlines. But let the history books not forget Kittridge.

With that quibble aside, The Opener has been adopted around the league to a variety of levels of success or failure. It has been used to explain things that it very much does not do, as well as blamed for things it definitely has nothing to do with. Overall, it was weird, it was different, it was neat.

In other words: it was very Rays-y.

Rays News

  • A little scare late in Sunday’s game as Yandy Diaz was replaced after being hit on the hand, but it sounds like he will be okay:

  • Some fantastic work by the Rays media team with videos following various Rays in New York:

Squid returns to the Bronx

BLowe makes his way to Yankee Stadium

Tommy Pham knows how to enjoy a day off

Around the League