Rays Improve Magic Number Taking Advantage of Padres Miscues
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The Tampa Bay Rays control their own destiny in the American League, currently holding the best record at 80-54.
They are the first team in the AL to reach the 80-win plateau and currently lead the New York Yankees by four games in the division. With their victory over the San Diego Padres to start their three-game set, the Rays moved one step closer to clinching a playoff spot as well.
Their magic number to be in the AL playoff field is 14. To be the No. 5 seed, their Magic Number is 15. To ensure home-field advantage in the first round, even as a Wild Card team, there is still plenty of work to do, with that Magic Number being at 22.
Tampa Bay’s Magic Number to win the AL East is 25, thanks to the Yankees and Boston Red Sox owning the second- and third-best records in the league. They are 76-58 and 73-61, respectively, as only one other team in the AL, the Chicago White Sox, has even reached the 70-win plateau.
Rays Magic Number down to 14 for playoff spot
The Rays continued their dominance at Tropicana Field, defeating the Padres 9-4 to push their home record to 44-23. They received a solid outing from Shane McClanahan, who went 5.2 innings, allowing three earned runs, four total, on only three hits and two walks to go along with four strikeouts.
The biggest blow against him was Jackson Merrill hitting a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to chase him from the game and be replaced by Manuel Rodriguez. Alas, McClanahan was still able to pick up his 10th win of the season because San Diego’s defense let down their starter, Casey Mize.
Mize threw five innings, allowing six hits and issuing one walk, but surrendered seven runs. Only two of those runs were earned; however, Mize committed a throwing error that started the merry-go-round in the bottom of the fourth inning.
After he hit Junior Caminero with a pitch to start the frame, he got Liam Hicks to pop out. Chandler Simpson then hit into a force out, but a throwing error by Mize pushed Caminero to third base.
Rays took full advantage of Padres mistakes
Simpson promptly stole second base and then Jonny DeLuca drew a walk. An RBI groundout by Cedric Mullins scored Caminero. Before Jorge Mateo hit a sacrifice fly for the fourth run of the game, Simpson came home on a wild pitch.
With two outs, Taylor Walls hit an RBI single to score Mullins. He would steal second and then come around to score when Yandy Diaz hit an RBI single of his own. The inning was ended when Jonathan Aranda lined out to Merrill in center field.
Tampa Bay ended up scoring in five consecutive innings, with the fourth being their biggest. It will look to win its third game in a row and fifth out of the last six when Nick Martinez takes the mound against Walker Buehler.
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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.