Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Fall to the Blue Jays, 6-2

Well that certainly was an inauspicious start to the ceremonial second half of play. The Tampa Bay Rays finally saw first hand what the highest scoring team in the majors can do on Friday, as the Blue Jays scored five times in the fifth, knocking out Jake Odorizzi en route to a 6-2 victory over Tampa Bay.

The New What Next: Rays vs. Blue Jays, Part Four — A Series Preview

After being hampered by the injury bug in the first half — in which the team both over and underperformed for stretches of the season — the Tampa Bay Rays will resume play on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays with a winning 46-45 record and the confidence they can remain in contention for a postseason berth.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Sweep ‘Stros, Retake Second Place

Matt Moore finally won his first game for the Tampa Bay Rays since his return from the DL and David DeJesus scored two runs and drove in an RBI in a 4-3 win on Sunday against the former AL West leading Houston Astros. With the sweep, Tampa Bay enters the All-Star Break at 46-45, 3-1/2 games out of first place in the AL East and with sole possession of second.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Win Second Straight, 3-0; Cabrera to the DL

A little more than month after he exited a game against the Seattle Mariners with a strained left oblique, Jake Odorizzi returned to the mound and helped the Tampa Bay Rays win their second straight game against the Houston Astros, this time by a score of 3-0. Odorizzi and four relievers combined on a three-hitter in the win. At 45-45, Tampa Bay is back at the .500 mark with one game left to go until the All-Star Break.