ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The slumping Tampa Bay Rays consider in themselves.
Baseball’s greatest workforce for a lot of this season has seen a historic begin give solution to a July swoon that’s loosened its maintain on the highest document within the American League.
The surging Baltimore Orioles received three of 4 between the division rivals over the weekend, taking on first place within the AL East and dropping the reeling Rays, who opened the yr with 13 consecutive victories, two video games off the tempo.
Tampa Bay entered July with a season-high 6½-game division lead however has stumbled to an AL-worst 4-14 document this month whereas sputtering offensively and weathering accidents which can be testing the depth of their beginning pitching.
The Rays haven’t compiled among the best marks within the majors over the past decade with out being resourceful and resilient, although, which is one purpose supervisor Kevin Cash is assured his workforce will rebound and end sturdy because it goals for a fifth straight playoff look.
“We’re just a very talented team that is going through a tough spot right now,” Cash stated.
“I’m guessing every guy in there right now is feeling a sense of urgency of wanting to contribute and wanting to be that big swing or have that big swing that gets us going,” Cash added after Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the Orioles. “It’s just not coming right now.”
Since profitable two straight in opposition to last-place Kansas City popping out of the All-Star break, the Rays have dropped seven of eight to fall behind the Orioles. They’ve scored three or fewer runs 11 instances in July, together with 5 video games with one run.
“The hardest part of this game is hitting. … Our job is to just keep on working, try to stay positive,” All-Star first baseman Yandy Diaz stated by means of a translator.
“And we still have a lot of time. We still have about two months or so to go,” Diaz added. “We’re going to stay focused and stay positive, and I think we’re gonna come out of it.”
With a projected rotation of Shane McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow, Zach Eflin, Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs, the Rays entered spring coaching with expectations of getting one of many deepest pitching staffs within the majors.
All 5 have served stints on the injured checklist, forcing Cash to always modify pitching plans.
While McClanahan (11-1, 2.89 ERA) and Eflin (11-5, 3.36) have been excellent, Glasnow (left indirect pressure) started the season on the injured checklist and didn’t make his first begin till May 27.
Springs (left elbow) was positioned on IL after going 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in three April begins, and Rasmussen (proper elbow) was pitching properly (4-2, 2.62 in eight begins) when he went down in May. Both will miss the rest of the yr, which means the Rays could also be out there for some assist on the commerce deadline.
McClanahan, an All-Star for the second straight season, spent 17 days on the IL resulting from mid-back tightness earlier than rejoining the rotation on July 17. Eflin missed time in April resulting from low again tightness however has been all the pieces the Rays hoped they have been getting when the previous Phillies pitcher signed a $40 million, three-year contract that’s the most important deal for a free agent in Rays historical past.
“You always hate losing people and having people go down. … But at the end of the day we’re focused on the game that’s in front of us, the game today,” Eflin stated. “Nobody is down in the dumps or anything.”
With a potent lineup that includes Diaz and fellow All-Stars Randy Arozarena and Wander Franco, Cash stated it’s solely a matter of time earlier than the offense will get again on monitor.
The workforce’s skid comes on the heels of Cash benching Franco two video games for the way in which the 22-year-old shortstop has dealt with some irritating conditions, at instances not operating onerous on the bases or being a great teammate.
Although the offensive struggles are hardly all on Franco, the first-time All-Star’s manufacturing on the plate has tailed off.
Before the benching, the younger star was batting .287 with an .804 OPS and eight residence runs in 72 video games. Since returning to the lineup, he’s hit .207 with a .655 OPS and three homers in 24 video games.
Arozarena has been slumping currently, too, hitting .147 (5 of 34) with one homer, three RBIs and 9 strikeouts in 9 video games because the All-Star break.
“We’d like to snap our fingers and get out of it, but we’re going to have to work,” Cash stated.
Arozarena, by way of a translator, agreed.
“I feel good and trust this team,” the outfielder stated. “I think we’re a really good team. … It’s a long season. We just got to keep on going and battling.”
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