Rays Battle Playoff Pressure: Can They Get Hot Enough to Stay in the Race?

The Tampa Bay Rays found themselves in a tough spot on Sunday, giving the Padres too many chances, and it cost them big. After a season-high 10 walks, including a critical one in the ninth inning, they fell 4-3. The loss not only put a damper on their playoff hopes but also highlighted a recurring issue: the Rays are running out of time to make a serious run for a postseason berth.

Manager Kevin Cash summed it up perfectly, saying, “We’ve got to get hotter than hot, basically, is what we need to do.” The Rays can't just settle for splitting series or taking two out of three anymore—they need to go on a remarkable winning streak to stay relevant in the playoff race. Currently sitting at 67-69, the Rays are trailing by seven games behind the Royals and Twins, who are tied for the last two American League wild-card spots. And it’s not just them in the mix; the Red Sox, Mariners, and Tigers are also ahead of the Rays in the standings.

With a crucial four-game series against the Twins at Tropicana Field kicking off Monday, the Rays need a sweep just to stay in the conversation. After that, they’re up against a gauntlet of teams fighting for playoff spots themselves, including the Orioles, Phillies, Guardians, and Red Sox (twice), followed by the Tigers.

One of the biggest challenges for the Rays is finding ways to win while not letting the players get overwhelmed by the pressure. Cash emphasized this delicate balance, noting, “You don’t want to give that message, I think, to the guys. You want to stay in the moment and try to win the game tonight. But there’s no doubt it’s an uphill climb.”

Key Challenges Ahead

1. Upcoming Schedule: The Rays have a tough road ahead with games against several strong contenders. They need to win these series convincingly to stay in the hunt.

2. Minimizing Mistakes: Sunday’s game against the Padres was a prime example of what the Rays need to avoid—excessive walks and missed opportunities. They walked 10 batters, their most in five years, with starter Ryan Pepiot struggling to find the strike zone early on.

3. Offensive Struggles: The Rays’ bats were relatively quiet on Sunday, managing just four hits and striking out eight times. They went a poor 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, leaving key opportunities on the table. Even when they did score, it wasn’t exactly inspiring: a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, a double-play grounder, and a wild pitch.

4. Mental Game: As Pepiot put it, “You can’t think about it too much like that. Because if you try to be like, ‘Oh, we have to win every single game,’ we’re going put ourselves in an even bigger hole and we’re going to press, and that’s just not a recipe for success.” Staying mentally sharp and focused on each game, rather than the daunting overall task, will be crucial.

Sunday’s game was particularly tough to swallow. Starter Ryan Pepiot issued four walks in just over three innings, giving up three runs. Relievers Cole Sulser, Richard Lovelady, and Manuel Rodriguez combined for six more walks, with Rodriguez’s walk to Jake Cronenworth in the ninth proving the most costly. A single by Manny Machado moved Cronenworth to third, and Xander Bogaerts sealed the deal with a sacrifice fly to put the Padres ahead for good.

Cash acknowledged the struggles, saying, “We kept the scoring down, but the big one came there in the ninth inning. You know the guys that are coming up (are) all really talented hitters, and they benefited from getting that first base runner on.”

Despite the loss, the Rays did have a chance to rally. In the sixth inning, they loaded the bases on two walks and a single, forcing the Padres to bring in a reliever. They managed to score three runs, but it wasn’t pretty—a hit-by-pitch, a double-play grounder, and a wild pitch did the job. As Cash put it, “You’ll take ‘em however you can get ‘em.” However, the team’s inability to capitalize further on these opportunities ultimately sealed their fate.

Now, with 26 games left in the season, the Rays face a daunting task. They haven't won more than five consecutive games since early May and haven’t been more than three games over .500 at any point this year. To make up the seven-game gap, they need to get on an unprecedented hot streak, something Cash knows all too well.

Pepiot, reflecting on his performance and the team’s struggles, said, “I didn’t do a good enough job keeping myself in the zone, and then they did a great job in spoiling pitches, fouling stuff off that was close. And then anything just a little bit outside, the close ones, they took it. They had a good game plan. So, yeah, walking 10 is not exactly what you want to do. It’s not what we pride ourselves on here. We’re all about first-pitch strikes and getting ahead, and (we) didn’t do that.”

The Path Forward

• Strong Start Against Twins: The Rays need to come out swinging in their series against the Twins. A strong showing could give them the momentum they desperately need.

• Maintain Composure: As Cash and Pepiot have emphasized, the team must avoid the trap of feeling like they need to win every single game. Staying in the moment and taking things one game at a time will be key to their success.

• Capitalize on Key Matchups: With games against teams ahead of them in the standings, the Rays have direct opportunities to close the gap. Winning these head-to-head matchups will be critical.

In the end, the Rays are staring down a tough road, but if they can put it all together and get “hotter than hot,” as Cash puts it, there’s still a chance to turn this season around. It’s time for Tampa Bay to dig deep, avoid the pressure, and play the kind of baseball that got them this far. The clock is ticking, and every game is a must-win. It’s crunch time for the Rays—let’s see if they can rise to the occasion.