TAMPA — The theme for Monday was the return of former Rays star Randy Arozarena to the Tampa Bay space for the primary time since being traded in July 2024.
However the Rays have been extra happy concerning the return to type of a key member of their present crew — starter Shane Baz.
The appropriate-hander in his first full major-league season had gone 10 begins — since June 26 — with out a win, posting an 0-8 document and 6.58 ERA throughout that tough stretch.
After hints of enchancment in his final outing Aug. 26 in Cleveland, Baz appeared very very like his finest self Monday, throwing six scoreless innings because the Rays beat Arozarena’s Mariners 10-2.
Baz allowed 5 hits and simply two walks, placing out six and getting out of what little hassle he confronted. He improved to September 11 for the season, dropping his ERA to 4.98.
He had appeared higher in opposition to the Guardians, permitting three first-inning runs on three singles, two walks and a sacrifice fly, then nothing else, retiring his remaining 16 hitters and finishing six innings.
Baz bought loads of assist Monday as catcher Nick Fortes hit a three-run homer within the second, Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero teamed as much as drive in two runs within the third, Yandy Diaz and Caminero mixed to knock in three extra within the seventh, and Tristan Grey hit a two-run homer within the eighth.
Arozarena, who was cheered warmly by the gang and given a tribute with a video through the second inning, went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles however was picked off after stealing second within the first inning.
The Rays have received 4 straight and 7 of their final eight in enhancing to 68-69. And, of some curiosity, they moved to inside 4 1/2 video games of the Mariners, who maintain the third American League wild-card spot, although there are three different groups between them.
The Mariners swept the Rays in Seattle a couple of weeks in the past, however Tampa Bay has an opportunity to make up that floor this week.
“There’s positively a possibility,” supervisor Kevin Money mentioned earlier than the sport. “This crew we simply noticed a few weeks in the past. They’re very proficient. We’re going to must play good baseball.
“I feel we have to concentrate on [Monday’s] sport and see what we are able to do to win that sport. We bought an extended method to go, however there’s little question it is a crew that’s forward of us and bought to search out methods to beat them.”
