Rays in, await final AL destination

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Let the champagne flow.

From dire forecasts of gross underachievement in spring training to the pinnacle of the baseball world in the span of six months, the Tampa Bay Rays served notice that the unpredictable is just that … unpredictable.

With a 3-1 over the Houston Astros before 16,217 Sept. 11 in Tropicana Field, the Rays became the first American League team to qualify for the post season. The remaining question is placement and that could be as a wild-card or AL East division champion

Catapulting into the playoff was by a familiar method.

Third baseman Junior Caminero crushed his 40^th homer of the season with an exit velocity of 107 miles per hour and a distance of 417 feet into the left field bleachers with one out in the bottom of the ninth. That was Caminero’s first career walk-off blast, but the force and power merely accentuated the electric season he is experiencing.

The round-tripper was his second consecutive 40 home run season and first player in franchise history with consecutive 40 home run seasons.

From a disastrous first road to start the season, the Rays were 4-5 and tied for third in the American League. After defeating the Red Sox in Boston on May 10, that moved Tampa Bay into first place in the division, and they occupied that position through the clinching game for 115 days.

The Rays qualified for a position in the post-season at the earliest date since the Atlanta Braves took a position-slot on Sept 20, 2023;

“The character and belief in this team has been there since day one,” said closer Bryan Baker in a champagne-drenched clubhouse. “We showed up in spring training with many new players. Plus, many guys did not know each other. It took time to mesh and to understand the quality of players we have in this clubhouse. We came together really fast. In some ways, we outperformed expectations and we really do not pay attention to that stuff. This is such a great group in this clubhouse and it’s just fun to come here every day.”

With the best record in the American League, the Rays, if the season ended with their post-season clinching victory, would earn a bye and move directly into the American League Divisional Series. Then again, both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox may have something to say about the ultimate AL East division winner.

With their win over Houston coupled with the Yankees beating the Mets and the Red Sox losing to Kansas City, the Rays held a three-game lead over the Yankees and 8 and one-game advantage over the Red Sox with 15 games to play. This includes three with the Red Sox at Tropicana Field and four with the Bombers in Yankee Stadium.

For now, the light remains directly on the Rays’ most recent achievement.

Out of the post-season for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, manager Kevin Cash directed this team to succeed based on the dynamics of pressuring the defense with speed and daring on the bases, quality efforts from starters, an adequate bullpen and a remarkable season from Baker, who moved from an unknown to a dominant and reliable closer. That’s not to mention Baker as the save leader among major league closers.

Despite joining the Milwaukee Brewers as the only teams in the post-season through Sept. 11, there is no taking a deep breath and basking in the achievement.

“I don’t think there is any one in that room that wants to rest,” said Cash, clutching a pair of wet googles from the celebratory clubhouse. “We want to continue winning games. There is a lot of season left but to say that we’re the first team to get in is really impressive. I expect this team to respond like that did all season long.”

For the record book, the Rays earned their sixth trip to the postseason in past eight seasons. Clinching on Sept. 11, that marked the earliest date the Rays secured a post-season date in franchise history.

One the diamond … the Rays recorded their 37^th come-from-behind win of the season and that’s the most in the American League. Down 1-0, Tampa Bay tied this one on a Victor Mesa Jr. homer to lead off the fifth inning. Tied in the bottom of the ninth, Jonathan Aranda doubled off the right field fence with one out and Junior Caminero then drilled the first pitch from Houston reliever Bryan Abreu half-way up in the left field bleachers. The blast was the fourth walk-off homer by a Tampa Bay player this season.

Next … The series with Houston continues. In the middle game of the set, look for lefty Ian Seymour (9-6, 4.33) taking on righty Peter Lambert (8-8. 3.67). In the series finale, it’s righty Freddy Peralta (8-11, 4.82) opposing righty Hyden Wesneski (3-1, 3.35). Then, three with A’s and three with the Red Sox close out the home portion for the regular season.

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