/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69136152/usa_today_15903028.0.jpg)
The Rays are currently in 15th (out of 15) place in the AL. The Yankees are only a hair better at 13th place. A pivotal series between the two teams most expected to be the top teams in all of the AL will fight it out to stay out of the incredibly early-season gutter.
The thing about baseball is, it’s easy to predict and you can always expect what happens.
By the numbers, the Rays have gotten off to a brutal start:
- The Rays have led for just 33 1⁄2 innings out of 117 innings
- 0-3 in Extra inning games
- 4-8 by Pythagorean expectancy (based on run differential). So the Rays are technically overachieving
The good news? Well, it’s been two weeks and there are 149 games remaining. The Yankees and Blue Jays are also off to mediocre to bad starts. Also, the Rays did almost exactly the same thing last year. No seriously, it’s freaky:
The year is 2020. Through the first 12 games of the season the Rays are 5-7 with just 47 runs scored (60 runs against)
— Darby Robinson (@darby_robinson) April 15, 2021
The year is 2021. Through the first 12 games of the season the Rays are 5-7 with just 46 runs scored (against 68 runs against) pic.twitter.com/N7Cr7iDPtU
if you remember, what happened next in 2020 was a massive 3 out of 4 wins vs New York and then a huge 4 game sweep of Boston at Fenway. So perhaps history will continue to rhyme and this time a trip into the Bronx is just what is needed.
Rays News
- Phillips’ mad dash not enough to earn split - Adam Berry, MLB.com: Brett Phillips did give us another chaos highlight.
.@Brett_Phillips8 thrives in chaos pic.twitter.com/lIpx9CtKbM
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 16, 2021
- Rays slide continues, drop third straight to Texas - Joey Johnston, Tampa Bay Times: Lots of chances, not enough hits, tons of bad luck just plagued the Rays the entire home set vs Texas.
- One thing we might be seeing more of in the lineup: Brosseau and Brosseau bombs
Just Bross being a BOSS pic.twitter.com/a8o7COVAsg
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 16, 2021
- Notes: Rays celebrate Jackie; Bronx on deck - Adam Berry, MLB.com
- A very cool gesture:
.@TriciaWhitaker reports in with updates on players donating game day salaries to The Players Alliance and lets us know what waring No. 42 means to Mike Brosseau and manager Kevin Cash. #RaysUp #JackieRobinsonDay pic.twitter.com/az16jQcREL
— Bally Sports Florida & Bally Sports Sun (@BallySportsFL) April 15, 2021
- Chris Archer, A-Rod, Jackie Bradley Jr, and Adam Jones on race in baseball | Breaking Barriers, ESPN: Archer joined the panel to discuss his perspective.
- Rays propose ‘world class’ multi-sport stadium in St. Pete for Rays and Rowdies - Beau Zimmer, WTSP 10: Potentially the slightest movement forward on stadium talk.
- Which Pitcher Will Be the Next Shane Bieber—and Where Will They Come From? - Michael Baumann, The Ringer
- How would an extra foot from mound to plate affect baseball’s current trends? - Travis Sawchik, The Score: Tyler Glasnow is asked about his perspective on potential changes, and ways baseball is debating inches the edges back towards batters.
- Inside a Mets culture rotten beyond Mickey Callaway and Jared Porter
- David Price notched a Save last night. We all remember his other Save:
Tonight was David Price's 1st career regular-season save, and 2nd overall -- he got the save in 2008 ALCS G7 with the Rays, in his 1st year in the Majors
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 16, 2021
Here's who appeared in that ALCS game ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/7ypPM75G6Q