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Tampa Bay Rays News & Links: West Coast Schmest Coast

Rays win 6 of 7 to start this West Coast swing

Tampa Bay Rays v Seattle Mariners Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

The Rays won six of seven to start this West Coast swing, sweeping the A’s and taking three of four from Seattle. They finish up this ten game road trip with three against the Los Angeles Angels, then get an off day on Thursday before finishing the week with three at home against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays currently sit in second place in the AL East, two games back of the Yankees.

News and Links

Lots of good Rays and a Rays-adjacent links this week. Let’s take a look.

Mother’s Day is different for some Rays.

Emma Baccellieri on the hottest pitch in baseball: the sweeper.

Adam Berry writes about Jeffrey Springs, who is indeed headed to the rotation.

Ken Rosenthal on Wander Franco as the prototype baseball has been looking for.

The Stable is dead. Long live The Outcasts!

Kevin Kiermaier joins Rays legend Grant Balfour and Ryan Rowland-Smith on a fun podcast.

Tom Brew on my latest bullpen crush, Brooks Raley.

Good news for cord cutters.

MLB Trade Rumors on how the Rays offseason moves set them up for success.

Jeff Passan on the strike zone you see vs. the strike zone that is called.

Tim Jackson on barrels that aren’t carrying.

Britt Ghroli on the Twins rotation, included former Rays farmhand Joe Ryan.

Ben Clemens on the anti-anti-FIPers.

MLB Trade Rumors on 18 starters that may be available this summer, including Blake Snell.

WWE star Sasha Banks threw out the first pitch — as well as a little shade — at Fenway.

This is a fun piece on Byron Buxton.

New data is available from Savant.

While we’re on the subject, here’s the latest in baseball conspiracy theories.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before

I’ve been watching baseball for 50 years. Yet somehow, there are always “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before” moments every year. And this past week had a ton of them.

The whole Dan Bellino / Madison Bumgarner sticky stuff check / hand massage / stare down / fbomb / ejection / (sort of) apology.

An ejection and an injury gave us the first “emergency catcher” that we’ve seen in a while.

I can’t explain this.

Or this:

The Phillies blew a 7-1 lead in the ninth inning, losing to the Mets 8-7.

Too bad Ohtani couldn’t have just knocked the whole stupid wall down.

The lack of Tom Petty here is disappointing.

Your Palate Cleanser

Rays legend Kyle Farnsworth is trying to do some good.

There are still good people in the world.

Go Rays!