7 days ago
It is tough to sweep a four-game series, unless you are the impossibly hot Boston Red Sox. Perhaps Shane Bieber took it upon himself to make Kyle Snyder, Kevin Cash, and the front office beliebers and effort to acquire him before the August 3rd deadline. Bieber had his second consecutive fantastic outing since the break with seven innings of one-run baseball allowing just three baserunners before handing it over to the A-pen to finish the game.
This was the type of game Toronto envisioned this winter, but has rarely been able to put together throguhout this frustrating season. The three runs scored today was the most runs the team has scored in their last six games, but it was the pitching that was story of the game and why the Rays offense was mostly lifeless today.
Bieber himself had just 8 swings and misses on 39 pitches, but he did a fantastic job working an extremely liberal strike zone to his advantage for seven innings:
The zone was questionable all day, but it was not until the 7th inning that any Rays batter challenged a pitch. Jonny DeLuca challenged a first pitch cutter that was well off the plate and had it overturned:
There were not many pitches more aggregiously wrong than this one, but Bieber certainly enjoyed a fair number of favorable strike calls in this contest yet the Rays were stubborn in using their challenges until DeLuca apparently had enough in the 7th inning:
#game #deluca #three #runs
This was the type of game Toronto envisioned this winter, but has rarely been able to put together throguhout this frustrating season. The three runs scored today was the most runs the team has scored in their last six games, but it was the pitching that was story of the game and why the Rays offense was mostly lifeless today.
Bieber himself had just 8 swings and misses on 39 pitches, but he did a fantastic job working an extremely liberal strike zone to his advantage for seven innings:
The zone was questionable all day, but it was not until the 7th inning that any Rays batter challenged a pitch. Jonny DeLuca challenged a first pitch cutter that was well off the plate and had it overturned:
There were not many pitches more aggregiously wrong than this one, but Bieber certainly enjoyed a fair number of favorable strike calls in this contest yet the Rays were stubborn in using their challenges until DeLuca apparently had enough in the 7th inning:
#game #deluca #three #runs
8 days ago
The Philadelphia Waterdogs will be without the backbone of their defense for at least the next three games.
Starting goalie Matt DeLuca was placed on injured reserve with a right adductor strain, forcing the Waterdogs to hand the crease to undrafted rookie Sean Byrne as they enter one of the most important stretches of their season.
While head coach Bill Tierney expects DeLuca to return this season, the timing of the injury creates uncertainty for a team still fighting for playoff positioning.
#waterdogs
Starting goalie Matt DeLuca was placed on injured reserve with a right adductor strain, forcing the Waterdogs to hand the crease to undrafted rookie Sean Byrne as they enter one of the most important stretches of their season.
While head coach Bill Tierney expects DeLuca to return this season, the timing of the injury creates uncertainty for a team still fighting for playoff positioning.
#waterdogs
1 month ago
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Griffin Jax pitched five strong innings, Yandy Díaz tied Tampa Bay's franchise record for career RBIs and the Rays defeated the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Wednesday night.
Jax (3-5) struck out seven while allowing two unearned runs and five hits. It was his fourth start in a row with at least five innings pitched and less than two earned runs allowed. Bryan Baker gave up a run in the ninth, but closed it out for his 20th save.
Díaz hammered a line drive to left field in the fourth inning to tie B.J. Upton's franchise mark of 447 RBIs and give Tampa Bay a 4-0 lead. Jonny DeLuca followed with an RBI double.
Nick Fortes and Díaz opened the scoring in the third when they both scored after Royals first baseman Jac Caglianone fielded Ryan Vilade's grounder and stepped on the bag for the out — but then his throw home went wide of catcher Salvador Perez. Jonathan Aranda added a one-run single to put the Rays up 3-0.
Noah Cameron (4-5) gave up all five runs on eight hits in five innings for the Royals.
Jax (3-5) struck out seven while allowing two unearned runs and five hits. It was his fourth start in a row with at least five innings pitched and less than two earned runs allowed. Bryan Baker gave up a run in the ninth, but closed it out for his 20th save.
Díaz hammered a line drive to left field in the fourth inning to tie B.J. Upton's franchise mark of 447 RBIs and give Tampa Bay a 4-0 lead. Jonny DeLuca followed with an RBI double.
Nick Fortes and Díaz opened the scoring in the third when they both scored after Royals first baseman Jac Caglianone fielded Ryan Vilade's grounder and stepped on the bag for the out — but then his throw home went wide of catcher Salvador Perez. Jonathan Aranda added a one-run single to put the Rays up 3-0.
Noah Cameron (4-5) gave up all five runs on eight hits in five innings for the Royals.
1 month ago
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - Jonny DeLuca of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Tropicana Field on June 21, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Home sweet dome. Tropicana Field has been just that for the Tampa Bay Rays so far in 2026. At 26-10 (.722), the club has MLB’s best home record and equaled its second-best 36-game mark inside the friendly confines.
“The fan base has really rallied behind us the entire season,” said first baseman Jonathan Aranda, following Friday night’s 5-2 win over the visiting Nationals. “Thankfully, we have been playing really well. You just want to do your part and put on a good show for the fans.”
The Rays have been doing their part while putting on a good show. After Saturday’s 4-3 loss, they rebounded to win Sunday afternoon’s game by the same score and take the three-game series. Rays’ pitchers allowed five homers during the series, though each was of the solo variety. The pitching did not walk a batter in the first two games and yielded only nine runs overall against MLB’s highest-scoring team.
“We pitched very well,” said manager Kevin Cash, whose club heads into a new week in second place and two games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East. “That is a very good offense (we faced.) They have a bunch of guys that can make contact and put pressure on the defense with their speed, and they have a couple of guys that can put the ball out of the ballpark.”
Home sweet dome. Tropicana Field has been just that for the Tampa Bay Rays so far in 2026. At 26-10 (.722), the club has MLB’s best home record and equaled its second-best 36-game mark inside the friendly confines.
“The fan base has really rallied behind us the entire season,” said first baseman Jonathan Aranda, following Friday night’s 5-2 win over the visiting Nationals. “Thankfully, we have been playing really well. You just want to do your part and put on a good show for the fans.”
The Rays have been doing their part while putting on a good show. After Saturday’s 4-3 loss, they rebounded to win Sunday afternoon’s game by the same score and take the three-game series. Rays’ pitchers allowed five homers during the series, though each was of the solo variety. The pitching did not walk a batter in the first two games and yielded only nine runs overall against MLB’s highest-scoring team.
“We pitched very well,” said manager Kevin Cash, whose club heads into a new week in second place and two games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East. “That is a very good offense (we faced.) They have a bunch of guys that can make contact and put pressure on the defense with their speed, and they have a couple of guys that can put the ball out of the ballpark.”
1 month ago
After the Rays took game one, the Nats grinded out a one run win in game two of the three game set. That sets the stage for a rubber match this afternoon. The Nats will look to win yet another series, while the Rays look to stay hot at home.
Blake Butera made a few tweaks to his lineup. Jacob Young is out of the lineup after banging into the wall yesterday. The outfield will consist of Daylen Lile in left, Dylan Crews in center and James Wood in right. Jose Tena will be in the DH spot and Drew Millas will be behind the plate. Andrew Alvarez is on the mound, and the Nats will look for more length than usual from the southpaw.
With a lefty on the mound, the Rays are making a few changes. Ryan Vilade will make his first start of the series in right field. Jonny DeLuca will also be back in the lineup. Ben Williamson will play second base, while Nick Fortes gets his first start of the series behind the plate. Nick Martinez has been a great signing for the Rays, and will take the ball today.
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Blake Butera made a few tweaks to his lineup. Jacob Young is out of the lineup after banging into the wall yesterday. The outfield will consist of Daylen Lile in left, Dylan Crews in center and James Wood in right. Jose Tena will be in the DH spot and Drew Millas will be behind the plate. Andrew Alvarez is on the mound, and the Nats will look for more length than usual from the southpaw.
With a lefty on the mound, the Rays are making a few changes. Ryan Vilade will make his first start of the series in right field. Jonny DeLuca will also be back in the lineup. Ben Williamson will play second base, while Nick Fortes gets his first start of the series behind the plate. Nick Martinez has been a great signing for the Rays, and will take the ball today.
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