Tampa Bay News and Links: Ten wins in a row seems good

Rays news

It’s been quite a week. Winning ten games in a row is, I think you all will agree, a lot of fun. But then just a few hours before the start of Friday’s game came the announcement of the Willy Adames trade, that sent the Rays starting shortstop, along with reliever Trevor Richards, to Milwaukee.

Coming to the Rays are two relievers, Drew Rasmussen (who will start out in Durham) and JP Feyereisen, who has already appeared in two game for the Rays.

Here’s a Milwaukee perspective on the trade. You can also read Ben Clemens’ very detailed look at the players involved and the thinking of both clubs in this exchange.

Keith Law on the trade and the Wait for Wander. ($)

Then on Saturday we met Adames’ replacement at shortstop, switch-hitting Taylor Walls. The FSU alumnus has won accolades for his defensive play. Here he is with his Durham teammates celebrating his promotion:

Walls had a memorable debut (two doubles and a run scored), captured in this video (shared on his Instagram):

Ryan Thompson discusses why he wears the number 81.

Around the league

More on Tony La Russa, those unwritten rules, and his relationship to his players. ($)

Higher pitch velocity + increases in hit batters = much greater risks to batters. ($)

What’s the matter with the Minnesota Twins?

Cute story about Ryan Yarbrough, Mike Trout, and a big Trout fan:

Old friend alert: Scott Kazmir makes his second remarkable comeback, joining the San Francisco Giants at age 37. He last pitched in the majors in 2016.