A Fall From Grace For The Tampa Bay Rays

After winning 92 games during the 2013 MLB regular season, the Rays would make the postseason, but they lost to the eventual World Series Champion Boston Red Sox in the American League Divisional Series. The Rays were expected to contend for a playoff spot this season, but a litany of injuries along with a lack of offense has Tampa Bay reeling.

The Rays record 23-36 has them in last place of the AL East as they are well off of the pace. The Rays are currently 12 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place within the division and after being swept in a three-game series this past weekend by the Red Sox, Tampa Bay is 4.5 games behind the BoSox for fourth place.

The success of the Rays begins and ends with their pitching. In the past four seasons the Rays team earned run average was never lower than fifth in the American League. But this season the Rays team earned run average of 4.13 is 10th on the Junior Circuit. Rays manager Joe Maddon has been forced to shuffle his starting rotation as the injury bug has caught his team.

In four seasons with the Rays, starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson has a record of 39-31. Hellickson had elbow surgery in the off-season and he has been unavailable so far in 2014. Hellickson threw a batting practice session a few weeks ago while pitching a simulated game last week. So far there have not been any setbacks for Hellickson who could return to the Rays rotation this summer. After going 28-15 in the last two seasons, Rays starting pitcher Matt Moore was expected to be vital once again this year in Tampa’s starting rotation. But after just two starts this season Moore was forced to succumb to the dreaded Tommy John surgery which prematurely ended his 2014 season. Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb missed five weeks of the season with an oblique strain before he returned to rotation on May 22. Rays starting pitcher David Price is a three-time MLB All-Star and he won the AL Cy Young Award in 2012. After an injury filled 2013, Price was able to return down the stretch and help the Rays qualify for the playoffs. There was a chance that Price was going to be traded this past off-season, but he still remains with the club and you wonder if that is hindering his play? Price has the second most wins in Rays franchise history, but on the season Price is 4-4 with an earned run average of 4.27. That is Price’s highest earned run average since 2009 when it was 4.42.

In the past few seasons the Rays have been near the top of quality starts in the American League, but this season they are 14th with just 21. In a division that features good hitting lineups like the AL East does it is imperative for your pitching to be on point; especially when your offense has not been potent like the Rays lineup has been in 2014. 

Over the past few seasons Maddon has turned to the likes of pitchers Rafael Soriano and Fernando Rodney to close out games in the ninth inning. The Rays were hopeful to keep that trend going this season with relief pitcher Grant Balfour. Balfour saved 38 games for the Oakland Athletics last season and he signed a two-year, $12 million deal to join the Rays. Balfour does lead the Rays in saves this season with 9, but after a shaky start to the season he still has an earned run average of 5.23.

After the 2012 Major League Baseball season, Rays general manager Andrew Friedman acquired outfield prospect Wil Myers from the Kansas City Royals. Myers was rated as the top baseball prospect by numerous publications and he didn’t disappoint in 2013. Last season Myers batted .293 with 13 home runs and 53 runs batted in as he became the third Rays player since 2008 to be selected as the American League Rookie of the Year. This season hasn’t been as smooth for Myers as he is batting just .227 with 5 homers and 25 runs batted in. Myers has not had a multi-hit game since May 21 and a stress fracture in his right wrist forced the Rays to place him on the disabled list on June 1. The injury is expected to keep Myers out of action for at least 5-6 weeks.

Since making his Major League debut in 2008, Rays third baseman Evan Longoria has become the face of the franchise as he is zeroing in on becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in most offensive categories. For his seven-year MLB career Longoria has averaged 32 home runs and 107 runs batted in, but he is well off of that pace in 2014. In 250 plate appearances this season Longoria only has 5 home runs and 23 runs batted in. The 2014 Rays offense is not the juggernaut that we saw in 2008 with the likes of Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton, and Carl Crawford. Longoria is finding this out the hard way as he just doesn’t have the protection around him in the lineup.

This season the Rays are near the bottom of major offensive categories in the American League as they are last in runs (218), 13th in batting average (.243), and 14th in slugging percentage (.361). During their current eight-game losing streak the Rays have been limited to two runs or less six times.

You never say never, but at this point the Rays more than likely will be forced to play spoiler within the AL East as they have fallen off of the pace. The Rays will begin an eight-game home stand tonight with two games against the Miami Marlins before they have a four-game set with the Seattle Mariners and finally two games with the defending National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals. Price is not eligible to become a free agent until 2016 which means that Friedman and the Rays are not in a rush to trade him unless they’re blown away by an offer for him. Myers will return this season to the Rays lineup as he is in their long-term plans. The Tommy John surgery is a long one to return from and the Rays will be careful with how they treat Moore going forward. The Rays might be a down on their luck in 2014, but knowing Maddon and Friedman it won’t be like that for long.