TAMPA, Fla. – After taking two of three from the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre and scoring 19 runs in the wins, the inclination was to think that another winning road trip was in order for the Rays. After all, they were headed to Miami to face a Marlins’ pitching staff that was next-to-last in the National League in ERA.
One can be pardoned for thinking a Tampa Bay lineup that welcomed the return of Josh Lowe for the final game of the Toronto series and had the services of Yandy Diaz after visa issues prevented him from traveling to Canada was poised to keep up the production in Miami.
That did not happen. In fact, the Rays (21-25) scored all of nine runs in losing two of three to the Marlins in settling for 3-3 trip. More damning is that they scored in only four of 27 innings against a staff that entered the series with an ERA of 5.53.
READ: Rays’ Ineptitude At Steinbrenner Field Is Mind-Boggling
The Rays, who managed only three hits in Sunday’s 5-1 rubber-game loss to Miami, return to Steinbrenner Field on Monday evening for the first of three games against the Astros. Following a day off Thursday, the Blue Jays arrive in Tampa for a three-game weekend series that is sure to attract a good number of fans from their spring training home of Dunedin.
Nothing good is going to come of this season unless the Rays can begin to alter their subpar play (11-17) at Steinbrenner Field where visiting teams have often felt at home. Ryan Pepiot (2-5, 3.92) will attempt to get the homestand off to a winning start when he takes the mound against Houston on Monday night at 7:05. He will be opposed by St. Pete native Colton Gordon, who played collegiately at HCC and UCF. Gordon made his MLB debut Wednesday (no-decision) against the Royals.
Back in MLB
The worst thing that may have happened to Connor Seabold during his one season in South Korea is that his hamburgers came with pickles. His interpreter could not seem to understand that the man he was responsible for helping with much of life’s daily details did not want pickles on his burgers.
“For whatever reason he would sometimes mess up my order,” said the 29-year-old righthander, who the Rays signed as a minor league free agent prior to spring training and on Friday night in Miami made his first MLB appearance since 2023 with the Rockies.
READ: Long Ball Blues Continue At Steinbrenner, But Rays Refuse To Blame The Venue
Otherwise, the experience of living in South Korea and making a reported $900,000 while playing for the Samsung Lions was a rather smooth and rewarding affair.
“The money was very cool, but (also) getting the opportunity to pitch every five or six days and putting myself in a position to come back (to the majors) and establish myself as a regular guy (in MLB),” he said. “It was a great experience and I have no regrets.”
Seabold, who was 1-1 with a 4.55 ERA in six appearances (five starts) at Durham before being called up May 9, was a third-round selection of the Phillies in 2017 and made his big-league debut with the Red Sox in 2021.
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