The Tampa Bay Rays are back at Tropicana Field after splitting a series with the Houston Astros, gearing up to face the Texas Rangers in a three-game showdown. As of Tuesday, the Rays hold a 30-29 record and are coming off a strong streak, winning seven out of their last ten games. However, they sit 6.5 games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East and are two games out of the Wild Card position.
Conversely, the Rangers currently have a record of 29-31 and have stumbled with losses in six of their last ten matches, though they recently managed to win two of three against the St. Louis Cardinals. Texas finds itself four games back of the Seattle Mariners in the AL West and 3.5 games behind in the Wild Card race.
Earlier in the season, the Rangers had a dominating performance against the Rays, sweeping a three-game series in Texas. Since that encounter, several players have stepped up, including Josh Smith, Josh Jung, and Wyatt Langford, each contributing approximately 1.3 fWAR and a 114 wRC+. Unfortunately, some veteran players such as Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim, and Marcus Semien have not met expectations, with Joc Pederson currently on the injured list and seen as a poor free agent acquisition.
On the pitching front, the Rangers have showcased strong performances from Nathan Eovaldi, Tyler Mahle, and Jacob deGrom, all providing ace-level effectiveness. Fortunately for the Rays, they will not face deGrom and Eovaldi in this upcoming series but will need to contend with Mahle, who is expected to start one of the games.
Both teams have a rich history, with notable players like Julio Franco, Nelson Cruz, and Jose Canseco having made significant impacts for both franchises. Canseco specifically has left a mark with a standout all-time performance against Texas, boasting a .354 batting average, six homers, and an impressive on-base plus slugging percentage.
For this series, the matchups are set with Drew Rasmussen facing Tyler Mahle in game one, Shane Baz taking on Kumar Rocker in game two, and Ryan Pepiot squaring off against Jack Leiter in the final game.
This series presents a critical opportunity for both teams to gain ground in the standings, particularly the Rays, who are aiming to continue their positive momentum. Fans can look forward to an exciting matchup as both teams strive for postseason contention.