Suddenly, the Tampa Bay Rays are starting to look the way they are supposed to look. Again.
Suddenly, they are starting to play to way they are supposed to play. Again.
Why, it’s April, and just like that, the Rays are starting to look like the Rays. Again.
Slowly, steadily, things are starting to look up for the Rays, who won 12-3 over the Toronto Blue Jays. Injured players are coming back, and the hitting is coming around, and the team has won three games in a row. The team has climbed out of the cellar, and now it is in third place and only one game behind in the AL East.
No, they are still not a team of household names.
At this rate, maybe they will get there.
The Rays, buoyed by the return of regular first-baseman James Loney and starting pitcher Drew Smyly, buried the Jays Friday night, and suddenly, there is a bit of life at Tropicana Field. A team that has struggled to keep its head above water with a jammed disabled list has given itself a chance.
Loney returned to first base with a bang, hitting a game-tying home run and a double. Smyly pitched 4 1/2 innings on a strict pitch-count but left with a 4-2 lead, one out short of earning the victory. For the Rays, both returns were welcome after an early season that saw as many as 13 players on the disabled list.
Smyly went 4 2/3 inning of four-hit baseball and left with a 4-2 lead. He would have been in fine shape for the win, but the Rays – sticking to a firm 80-pitch count – pulled him one out away.
“It’s his health over his record at this point,” said manager Kevin Cash.
There are so many players that Cash could say that about. Alex Cobb. Matt Moore. Jake McGee. Nick Franklin. John Jaso. Alex Colome. Over the next few weeks, the Rays hope to get them all back to fortify the lineup.
“There was some excitement today seeing those guys back in,” said Cash. “I still think we’re a long way to go to get what we penciled in, but it’s refreshing to see Drew, and to know he’s going to be capable of going longer in his next outing. And the stability that James provides to this lineup.”
For Smyly, the day was bittersweet. He threw well, giving up one run on a home run by Devon Travis and another on a single by Danny Valencia. But as many arm problems as the Rays have had, it’s hard to blame Cash for playing it safe with his pitch count.
“I’d be lying if I wasn’t a little disappointed,” Smyly said. “That’s baseball. I have a predetermined pitch count and it stinks that it landed with one out to go in the fifth, but that’s baseball.”
Cash sounded as if he regretted the decision, but he felt he had to stick to his guns.
“It’s extremely unfortunate that his pitch count got to that very difficult decision making zone, and that’s on me. But we’ve got to prioritize his healthy of his record. I apologized to him, but that’s the plan we had and we wanted to stick to it.”
There was no such restriction on Loney, who had an oblique strain in his shoulder. The Rays have struggled for hitting all year. Loney, who had a career-high 174 hits last year, should be able to help more than his replacement, Allan Dykstra, who was hitting .129.
“They waited for me (to hit),” Loney said.
For an day, the Rays were a big-hitting team. They got 13 hits, four doubles, a triple and two homers. Against the Jays’ R.A. Dickey, it was a rare assault by the light-hitting Rays.
The Rays play Toronto again tonight with Erasmo Ramirez (0-1) getting the start.
