Rays would benefit from American League Wild Card chaos

NEW YORK — The Rays already knew when and in which their postseason run would begin: Thursday, in Recreation 1 of the American League Division Series, at Tropicana Subject. They just don’t know who else will be there.

For now, immediately after capping the most effective common season in franchise record with a 1- decline to the Yankees on Sunday afternoon, they should wait and marvel. And get ready for the probability of yet another ALDS showdown with the Yankees.

The maximum-scoring lineup in franchise heritage was held in verify Sunday by starter Jameson Taillon and a parade of Yankees relievers, but Michael Wacha and a few Rays relievers shut down the Yanks for eight innings. New York put runners at next and 3rd foundation in the ninth with a pair of singles off lefty Josh Fleming, and Aaron Choose strike a stroll-off solitary earlier leading reliever Andrew Kittredge, permitting Tyler Wade to sprint residence.

Judge’s grounder to close Sunday’s video game in the Bronx established off a large celebration at Yankee Stadium, as it certain New York a location in the AL Wild Card Recreation on Tuesday — that means these division rivals could pretty well meet up with yet again in a number of days.

But one tiebreaker situation for the other place was continue to in perform as the Blue Jays beat the Orioles, the Red Sox ended up up on the Nationals and the Mariners have been trailing the Angels.

When the closing working day of the consistently scheduled normal time started Sunday, there had been 4 groups — the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Mariners — nevertheless in the mix for two AL Wild Card places. As the Rays’ 162nd activity began at Yankee Stadium, there was a chance the tiebreaker situations could lead to a Recreation 163 on Monday and potentially Game 164 on Tuesday just before even obtaining to the AL Wild Card Activity and then, eventually, ALDS Recreation 1.

No matter of which team the Rays experience, they can choose a moment to recognize all they’ve currently attained this 12 months. They won 100 online games for the 1st time. They led the Majors in runs scored. They owned the AL’s ideal Era. Even their Small League groups set together the most effective organizational profitable proportion in baseball, with all but a single affiliate successful their league championships.

The Rays grew to become just the 19th AL group in the Wild Card period (given that 1995) to get to the 100-win mark. Of the past 18, seven attained the Globe Collection and four gained it all: the 2018 Purple Sox, 2017 Astros, 2009 Yankees and 1998 Yankees.

“I imagine this is what baseball wishes,” supervisor Kevin Cash stated prior to the standard-season finale. “It’s an fascinating working day for baseball. … It does not look like there’s not likely to be some form of [Game] 163 or participate in-in activity.”

Only set, the additional get-or-go-household video games the Rays’ possible AL Division Series opponent has to play involving currently and Thursday added benefits them.

“You’re speaking about using more pitchers, not currently being able to rest men that perhaps need some relaxation just before likely into a game or a collection,” Hard cash stated. “That havoc could make all all those issues.”

The Rays are no stranger to this variety of chaos. Absolutely everyone remembers the wild finish to the 2011 time, but two yrs following that, they played a should-win Sport 162 in Toronto to power a tie-breaking Game 163 in Texas the next day, then traveled to Cleveland for the AL Wild Card Game, then went to Boston for the ALDS.

The Rays are confident they can make yet another deep postseason run no make any difference who they confront in the very best-of-five ALDS — and they’ve been admirably concentrated on winning every day down the stretch, in spite of possessing now clinched every little thing they can. But they obviously have an interest and aggressive determination in viewing how the Wild Card race shakes out.

Which opponent would the Rays favor to see? Centered on common-season success, it may possibly be the Yankees. Tampa Bay is 11-7 in opposition to New York this period getting into Video game 162, 11-8 versus Boston and 11-8 against Toronto — while the Blue Jays occasionally gave the Rays fits with their deep lineup and top rated-of-the-rotation arms.

The only Wild Card contender the Rays had a getting rid of history against this period was the Mariners, who gained six of seven matchups in opposition to Tampa Bay even though outscoring the Rays, 38-21. Granted, two of those game titles essential excess innings and a few had been wander-off losses, displaying how near they were, but it could possibly arrive as a surprise that the Rays fared worse in opposition to Seattle than any of their 90-in addition-get division rivals.