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Bryan Baker Bryan Baker Notches 28th save
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 2:30 PM
Baker earned the save in Sunday's 1-0 victory over the Guardians, tallying a strikeout and a walk in a scoreless ninth inning.
Analysis: Baker is up to 28 saves (in 31 chances) this season, good for the second most in the majors. The right-hander has been stellar of late, allowing just one run in his last 22 innings. Baker's ERA now sits at a sparkling 1.56 across 40.1 innings this season with a 0.84 WHIP and 43:13 K:BB. |
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Drew Rasmussen Drew Rasmussen Dominant in ninth win
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 2:26 PM
Rasmussen (9-5) earned the win Sunday over the Guardians, allowing just one hit and a walk across seven scoreless innings. He struck out nine.
Analysis: A Steven Kwan double to lead off the game proved to be the lone hit given up by Rasmussen on Sunday as he blanked Cleveland in an eventual 1-0 victory. In two starts since the All-Star break, Rasmussen has given up just two runs on eight hits across 12 frames after allowing 11 runs in just 7.1 innings in his final two outings of the first half. Overall, Rasmussen's ERA sits at 3.07 through 20 starts (111.1 innings) this season with a 0.93 WHIP and 112 strikeouts. He's tentatively lined up to face the White Sox at home his next time out. |
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Victor Mesa Jr. Victor Mesa Jr. Idle against southpaw
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 10:14 AM
Mesa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
Analysis: The left-handed-hitting Mesa will hit the bench for the second time in the series, with both of his absences coming when the Guardians have sent lefty starters to the hill. Jonny DeLuca will get the call in right field in place of Mesa, who has produced a .265/.339/.592 slash line with five home runs, three stolen bases, eight runs and nine RBI through 17 games in July. |
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Hunter Feduccia Hunter Feduccia Resting versus lefty
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 10:12 AM
Feduccia is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
Analysis: The left-handed-hitting Feduccia will head to the bench for the second time in the series while the Guardians send another lefty starter (Parker Messick) to the bump. Nick Fortes will get the nod behind the dish for the Rays in Sunday's contest. |
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Ben Williamson Ben Williamson Drawing fourth straight start
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 10:10 AM
Williamson will start at shortstop and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Guardians.
Analysis: Williamson will stick in the starting nine for a fourth straight game while top shortstop Taylor Walls (fingers) is on the bench for another contest. If his hyperextended fingers don't force him to the injured list, Walls will eventually settle back in as the Rays' everyday shortstop, which will push Williamson back into the short side of a platoon at second base with Richie Palacios. |
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Taylor Walls Taylor Walls Sitting again Sunday
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 8:30 AM
Walls (fingers) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
Analysis: It's the fourth straight absence for Walls, who hyperextended the middle and ring fingers on his left hand during a slide into second base Wednesday. Tampa Bay has a team day off Monday, so the 30-year-old will have had nearly a week off to recover by the time Tuesday's series opener versus the Rangers rolls around. Ben Williamson is receiving another start at shortstop Sunday for the Rays. |
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Jonathan Aranda Jonathan Aranda Taking seat Sunday
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 8:15 AM
Aranda is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
Analysis: Aranda started the previous seven contests but will hit the bench Sunday. The first baseman has yet to get on track since the All-Star break with a .154/.214/.154 slash line and 38.1 percent strikeout rate in 10 games. Ryan Vilade is picking up the start at first base in the series finale versus Cleveland. |
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Bryan Baker Bryan Baker Nails down 27th save
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 8:09 PM
Baker secured the save Saturday against Cleveland, allowing no runs on one hit and no walks in the ninth inning.
Analysis: Baker extended his scoreless streak to eight innings Saturday, Additionally, the right-hander last failed to successfully convert a save chance during his May 13 outing in Toronto, which is a stretch of 22 outings without a blown save. Through 39.1 innings in 2026, Baker boasts a 1.60 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 42:12 K:BB with 27 saves in 30 opportunities. |
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Nick Martinez Nick Martinez Dazzles in 10th win
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 8:03 PM
Martinez (10-2) earned the win Saturday against Cleveland, allowing no runs on four hits and no walks in six innings. He struck out five.
Analysis: It was a brilliant performance by Martinez, who scattered four singles across six shutout frames Saturday. The veteran right-hander is on an excellent run on the hill, either turning in a quality start or working at least five innings while yielding two runs or fewer in each of his past six appearances. Martinez will take a 2.45 ERA, his career-best mark, 1.10 WHIP and a 67:20 K:BB over 117.1 frames into his next scheduled outing against the White Sox. |
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Chris Roycroft Chris Roycroft Sent down to Triple-A
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 12:52 PM
The Rays optioned Roycroft to Triple-A Durham on Saturday.
Analysis: After joining Tampa Bay's bullpen July 6, Roycroft gave up eight earned runs in 13 innings while striking out 11 batters and walking three. He'll now lose his place on the active roster to make room for Steven Matz (ankle), who returned from the injured list Saturday. |
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Steven Matz Steven Matz Returns from IL
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 12:48 PM
The Rays reinstated Matz (ankle) from the injured list Saturday.
Analysis: A sprained left ankle has kept Matz on the shelf since June 25, but he's now been cleared to return after giving up three runs in six innings across five rehab appearances at Triple-A Durham. He'll reclaim a long-relief role in Tampa Bay's bullpen and push Chris Roycroft back down to the minors. |
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Cedric Mullins Cedric Mullins Records two extra-base hits
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 9:12 PM
Mullins went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, two runs scored and a strikeout during Tampa Bay's 11-3 win over Cleveland on Friday.
Analysis: Mullins hit his second triple of the season in his second at-bat and came around to score on Jonny DeLuca's RBI single in the fourth inning. In the eighth, the 31-year-old tallied his sixth double of the campaign and crossed home plate after Richie Palacios blasted a three-run homer. On the year, Mullins has slashed .204/.284/.355 with 12 homers, 31 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 347 plate appearances. |
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Jonny DeLuca Jonny DeLuca Scores three runs in win
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 9:11 PM
DeLuca went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a walk, three runs scored and two strikeouts during Tampa Bay's 11-3 win over Cleveland on Friday.
Analysis: DeLuca scored his first run on Ryan Vilade's two-run homer in the second inning. The 28-year-old later drove in Cedric Mullins in the fourth to extend Tampa Bay's early lead and scored two more times after that. On the season, DeLuca has batted .267/.303/.440 with six homers, 32 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 203 plate appearances. |
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Richie Palacios Richie Palacios Blasts homer in win
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 9:10 PM
Palacios went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run and a strikeout during the Rays' 11-3 win over the Guardians on Friday.
Analysis: Palacios took over at second base for Ryan Vilade in the seventh inning. The 29-year-old made a huge impact in his second at-bat with a long three-run homer to give the Rays an 11-1 lead. After picking up his first long ball since July 10, Palacios is now slashing .233/.328/.344 with four homers, 30 RBI and nine stolen bases in 247 plate appearances this season. |
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Nick Fortes Nick Fortes Tallies four hits in win
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 9:09 PM
Fortes went 4-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored as the Rays beat the Guardians by a final score of 11-3 on Friday.
Analysis: Fortes recorded his second four-hit game of the season Friday, with the other coming June 10 against Boston. The catcher knocked an RBI single in the fourth to extend Tampa Bay's lead to 5-1 and recorded an RBI double in the seventh to pad the lead even further. Over his last seven games, the 29-year-old has been red hot, slashing .500/.522/.818 with two homers, eight RBI and five runs scored in 22 plate appearances. |
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Ryan Vilade Ryan Vilade Homers in win Friday
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 9:02 PM
Vilade went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer, a walk, a run scored and a strikeout during the Rays' 11-3 win over the Guardians on Friday.
Analysis: Vilade started the scoring off for Tampa Bay in the second inning by blasting a two-run homer that scored Jonny DeLuca. The 27-year-old has now recorded at least one hit in four of his last five games, belting two home runs in that span. On the season, Vilade has slashed .260/.325/.480 with eight homers and 33 RBI in 170 plate appearances. Vilade's night was cut short after being replaced by Richie Palacios at second base in the seventh. |
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Shane McClanahan Shane McClanahan Throws five solid innings in win
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 9:01 PM
McClanahan (9-6) picked up the win after going five innings against Cleveland on Friday, allowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out three.
Analysis: After a rocky start in his last outing against Boston, McClanahan bounced back Friday, allowing just one run in five innings of work. The left-hander threw 71 pitches, 45 of them for strikes, though he tied his season low with just three strikeouts. Through 19 starts this season, the 29-year-old now holds a 3.09 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 88:33 K:BB in 96 innings. |
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Taylor Walls Taylor Walls Remains out Friday
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 2:37 PM
Walls (fingers) is out of the lineup for Friday's matchup against the Guardians.
Analysis: Walls will miss his second consecutive game after hyperextending his middle and ring fingers on his left hand in Wednesday's matchup against Toronto. Ben Williamson will once again man shortstop and bat eighth for Tampa Bay. |
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Manuel Rodriguez Manuel Rodriguez Kicks off rehab assignment
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 8:32 AM
Rodriguez (elbow) began a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Thursday, giving up a solo home run and striking out three in one inning.
Analysis: Rodriguez served up a home run to the first batter he faced since last August's flexor surgery, but he then rebounded to fan the next three hitters. The 29-year-old will need several rehab outings as he preps for a return to the Rays' bullpen. Rodriguez posted a 2.12 ERA and 59:17 K:BB over 68 innings the last two seasons for Tampa Bay, so he could provide a nice boost to the relief corps if he can regain his pre-surgery form. |
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Ian Seymour Ian Seymour Takes third loss Thursday
Thu, Jul 23, 2026, 7:38 PM
Seymour (6-3) took the loss Thursday against the Blue Jays, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out seven over six innings.
Analysis: Seymour entered after opener Casey Legumina tossed two innings of one-run ball, and went on to complete the remainder of the game. While throwing 59 of 87 pitches for strikes, he allowed a run in the third inning before retiring 11 of the next 13 batters, though he surrendered another run in the seventh to finish with the loss. It was a strong bounce-back performance after he had been tagged for 12 runs (11 earned) across 11.2 innings in his previous three outings. Seymour owns a 4.64 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 86:27 K:BB over 73.2 innings while making seven starts and 28 relief appearances this season. He's scheduled to make his next trip to the mound at home against the Rangers on Wednesday. |
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