Tampa Bay Rays Baseball is Back

Ready, set, go. – Today, at 4:10 p.m., the Tampa Bay Rays begin their 2024 season slate against divisional rival, the Toronto Blue Jays.

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The Rays will be without Wander Franco. He was placed on administrative leave until June 1 as an investigation continues into an alleged relationship with a minor.

Less Equals… More?

The Rays finished last season with the fourth best regular season record in the MLB of 99-63.

Heading into their American League wildcard game, the Rays were moving full steam ahead. The Texas Rangers ended Tampa’s season in two quick, swift victories to sweep that wildcard series.

Staying true to Rays baseball, an already shorthanded ballclub comes into the 2024 season with less than what they had a year ago when they got swept in wildcard weekend.

Losing a pitcher to the stature of Tyler Glasnow hurts this rotation as a right cross to the liver hurts ones body. Tampa looks at Zach Eflin to step into the ace role for the 2024 season.

The offense is spearheaded by the two headed beast that is Randy Arozarena and Yandy Diaz. Diaz is coming off of a historic year in Tampa, setting a new franchise single season batting average high.

ESPN Gainesville got to speak with Anthony Castrovince, an MLB Network reporter, to get his thoughts on the Rays potential season.

Management Means More

The Tampa Bay Rays are widely known as a team that wins.

You look at the AL East – the Orioles, Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays. These are some of the most historically successful teams dating back to their origin.

How, in a talent studded division, do the Rays stay relevant? Management.

Kevin Cash, the ballclubs manager, has worked wonders on this team with supposedly less talent than his competitors. In two of the past four seasons, Tampa has finished first in the AL East. One of those years was a 100-win season.

You combine an elite manager in Cash with a pitching coach as good as Kyle Snyder and a recipe for winning is born.

Snyder has led this team to a top three ERA in the MLB every season he has been the pitching coach of this team. Snyder got the gig in 2018 – that is six years of straight, malicious dominance.

ESPN Gainesville discussed the team’s management and ability to win with the Rays TV play-by-play voice, Dewayne Staats.

Bounce Back Begins

The Rays have now lost each of their last seven postseason games.

This team continuously finds success in the regular season. Will this be the bridge season that connects Tampa to that evasive postseason victory? Or, will this be the season where that bridge sends Tampa down a slippery slope that lacks winning ways?