Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Randy Arozarena hits a single off Toronto Blue Jays' starting pitcher Julian Merryweather in first inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, in Toronto. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Rays In Tight Playoff Race

Daniel Haviv September 14, 2022 Baseball, MLB, MLB Playoffs, Tampa Bay Rays 534 Views

The Tampa Bay Rays are having quite the year, holding a record of 79-62. With just 21 games left until the playoffs begin, Tampa is tied with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners for the top wild card spot. The Rays are facing the Blue Jays Wednesday after splitting their doubleheader on Tuesday.

Winning Season for the Rays

After being the top team in the American League last season, Rays fans may look at this season as a step down. Tampa is currently in a tight race and on the cusp of making the playoffs. If they win a majority of the rest of their games, they can take the top wild card spot or even win the division if the Yankees struggle.

On the contrary, many Rays losses could lead to them falling just short of the playoffs in its entirety. They are in dire need of some great performances from key players such as Randy Arozarena. Arozarena leads the team with 19 home runs and an RBI of 76 for the season.

Potential AL Wild Card Matchups

The fight for the top wild card spot in the American League is coming down to the wire. The Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays are all tied for the top wild card spot. The Rays or Blue Jays will have the opportunity to gain control as they face each other six more times this season.

Tampa can very well finish with any of the three wild card spots if they do in fact make the playoffs. This creates for a multitude of possible playoff matchups.

Tampa is set to take on the Cleveland Guardians. The two have faced off three times this season with the Guardians taking two of the three games. They will meet again at the end of the month.

If the Rays manage to take the first or second wild card spot, they will be matched up against either the Blue Jays or Mariners to start the postseason. The Rays are winning the head-to-head battles against both teams this season. They are 7-6 against Toronto and 5-2 against Seattle.

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About Daniel Haviv

Hello, my name is Daniel Haviv and I'm a junior sports journalism student at the University of Florida. As a sports writer, I have published content on a multitude of different sports across all levels. Additionally, I was a beat reporter for the Gators Men's Basketball team for the 2022-2023 season. Game-day previews and post-game articles are featured.

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