Rays 4 Biggest Takeaways From Series Win Over Red Sox
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The Tampa Bay Rays continue to play at an incredibly high level, and it certainly looks more than just a fluky hot start.
They went into Fenway Park and won a series against the Boston Red Sox, making it five series victories in a row. Their record is now 26-13, putting them in first place of the American League East after the Milwaukee Brewers swept the New York Yankees.
The Rays are playing at an incredibly high level, with every button manager Kevin Cash pushes being the right one. Not even inclement weather and having only one starting pitcher take the mound in the series could slow down Tampa Bay.
Here are four of the biggest takeaways from the Rays’ series win over the Red Sox.
Shortstop Needs To Be Addressed
Coming into the season, there were a few areas of need in the lineup. Shortstop was one of them, and it remains an issue, at least offensively.
Taylor Walls went 1-for-8 against Boston, dropping his season-long slash line to .198/.301/.235. He is a wizard with the glove defensively, but creates a massive void in the lineup offensively. With Carson Williams struggling to solidify himself as an MLB-ready contributor, this could be a position the team looks to address ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
There is value in having a player like Walls on the roster, but as an everyday player, he leaves a lot to be desired.
Starting Rotation Experiment Can Work
The Rays have been hit hard by injuries in their starting rotation. Ryan Pepiot is out for the entire season, while Joe Boyle and Steven Matz have hit the injured list as well.
That has pushed Cash to make the bold decision to shift Griffin Jax from the bullpen to the starting rotation. He was opening in front of Jesse Scholtens for a few starts, but is now being relied upon to work deeper into games.
He went four innings in his start against the Red Sox, showing some really promising signs. Scholtens took the ball in the third matchup and will likely be operating as a traditional starter without an opener for the time being.
Jax certainly has the talent to succeed as a starter, working closely with pitching coach Kyle Snyder to adjust his pitch mix, leading to improved results.
Junior Caminero Keeps Slugging
There might be some questions about Tampa Bay’s offense, but one thing is for sure: Junior Caminero is going to provide power wherever the team is playing.
Concerns about leaving Steinbrenner Field have been overblown. His power travels, and he launched two more home runs against Boston, giving him 11 on the year. He was responsible for half of the team’s extra-base hits in the series, and he recorded three RBI, tied for the team lead with Chandler Simpson.
With only one strikeout to go along with one walk, Caminero is showing improved discipline and patience at the plate. Depending on how the batting order goes, he sometimes lacks protection. Instead of trying to do too much, he takes what opposing pitchers give him, and his teammates are making it hurt.
Bullpen Dominance
There are certainly some long-term concerns about this group and how much heavy lifting they are doing currently. There aren’t many household names in the group, but they continue to get the job done.
11.2 relief innings were thrown, and only one earned run was recorded against Garrett Cleavinger. He and Kevin Kelly were the only relievers who were called upon more than once in the three-game set, with Cash doing an excellent job of keeping them fresh.
Bryan Baker continues to dominate at the backend as the closer, proving the front office right when they made a move to acquire him from the Baltimore Orioles last year.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.