Tampa Bay Rays News and Links: PadRAYS help force a Game 3

Rays News

• Rays embrace underdog role: ‘Fuels our fire’ - Juan Toribio, MLB.com

• Yanks-Rays position-by-position breakdown - Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com: When I start to think, “who actually believes the Rays, best record in AL, second best only to the Dodgers, could possibly be considered underdogs” I read something like this and see that they are still very much a slept on team in many, many regards.

• Rays look like American League’s best: Three takeaways from Tampa Bay’s sweep of Blue Jays - Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY

• MLB Playoffs 2020: Why New York Yankees-Tampa Bay Rays ALDS could be series of the postseason - ESPN

• Heated past sets ALDS stage for Rays, Yanks - Mark Feinsand, MLB.com: For the first time, Rays and Yankees will get to (hopefully not literally) duke it out in the postseason.

• With Superior Depth Everywhere, Rays Bounce Blue Jays From Postseason - Jon Taylor, Fan Graphs: The Rays have used superior levels of depth to be in a great position to succeed in a short season, and now in no off day postseason, they still hold a distinct advantage.

• Heartbreaking, but also heartwarming:

• Rays do one thing better than any other team in the AL: Win - John Romano, Tampa Bay Times

• Giancarlo Stanton talks Yankees-Rays ALDS battle: ‘It’s gonna be power vs. power’ - Danny Abriano, Yahoo!Sports

• Yankees ‘excited’ about chance to play league-best Rays - Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times: I’m curious just how excited, by percentages, they are to play them.

Around the League

• Oakland Prevails in a Wild, Befuddling Battle of Bullpens - Ben Clemens, Fan Graphs: The Oakland A’s eliminated the Chicago White Sox in the first Game 3 elimination game of the postseason tournament.
• The San Diego Padres, backed by roughly 50% ex-Tampa Bay Rays players, have fought back to force a decisive Game 3 today. Of the many big fly highlights (including 2 HRs for Wil Myers) was this Tatís HR + bat flip combo:

• Postseason Ends Quickly for the Punchless Reds - Dan Szymborski, Fan Graphs: The Atlanta Braves out dueled the vaunted pitching staff of the Reds, advancing on to the NLDS.
• The Brewers gave a valiant effort, but Mookie Betts and the Dodgers offense provided just enough for a truly all time great performance from Kershaw to send the Dodgers on to the NLDS: